A growing sense of sociability in the late 18th century backcountry. A study in civilisation in the early republic

Considering that the qualities of versatility and adaptability of the concept of frontier have long been recognised, this paper wishes to advance the study of the topic by looking at the ways in which the frontier has been transformed to adapt to the needs of 18th century settlers. This paper will focus on a space of land known as the 'Backcountry' and its transformations from the mid-18th century to the beginning of the 19th century. The presentation will begin with an exploration of the epistemic differences between the concepts of Frontier and Backcountry. It will then demonstrate, through the analysis of works by W. Byrd, S. K. Knight and H. St John de Crèvecoeur, how the Backcountry emerged from being a space of degradation and savagery, to a place of civilisation. Through an analysis of Crèvecoeur's last book, Journey into Northern Pennsylvania and the State of New York (1801), I will explore the ways in which the Backcountry developed into a place of civilisation, not through acts of violent and explicit imperialism, as is typical of the stories on the frontier, but through the establishment of a softer version of land occupation, practiced through a sociability that took the form of increasing literacy alongside an ever-growing sense of hard-work, diligence, morality and good-manners.