Available at: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/3221
Date of Award
12-2025
Degree Name
MA in History
Department/Program
History
College
College of Liberal Arts
Advisor
Thanayi M. Jackson
Advisor Department
History
Advisor College
College of Liberal Arts
Abstract
“The Edge of the World” revolves around the history of the Wild West in California through the lens of Richard Maxwell Brown’s Western War of Incorporation theory. Rather than being a mythology sensationalized by Hollywood and literature, for the Golden State, the Wild West was a very real and tangible part of its early-American era, characterized by U.S. imperialism, high murder rates, anti-authoritarianism, and other rampant forms of chaos that affected the state for generations. By examining the conditions and effects of the late Mexican period, the Gold Rush, Confederate sympathizers, and the Southern Pacific Railroad, this thesis highlights the multifaceted nature of the Wild West in California, a symptom of its incorporation into the United States.
Notes
Special thanks to the Online Archive of California, the Huntington, the Autry Museum of the West, and Seaver Center, as well as the hard-working, dedicated local historical societies throughout California that collect and preserve the little bits of Wild West history surrounding them. Great thanks to my family, especially my Mom and Dad, who have fostered a love for history, adventure, and storytelling throughout my life. They taught me the courage, critical thinking, and passion that carried me through this project and program.