In the early decades of American independence, there was a belief that the fledgling nation contained within its boundaries the entire history of humanity.

What exactly do I mean by that?

Well, perhaps I should let President Thomas Jefferson explain. In the early 1800s, the president romantically opined that a journey across the continent,

quote, is the equivalent to a survey in time of the progress of man from the infancy of creation to the

present day, end quote. Like many 19th century thinkers, Jefferson believed that all human

societies progressed through the same phases of development. First, there was the hunting and

gathering phase, where human beings

were only slightly more developed than the animals that they killed for subsistence. Next

came the pastoral society, where animals were roughly domesticated into herds that could

be tended by shepherds. Then there was the Agricultural Society,

defined by its permanent settlements, well-tended fields, fenced in allotments, and thoroughly

domesticated livestock. Then finally came the Commercial Society, defined by elaborate

systems of exchange, industry, technology, and a

sophisticated division of labor. Thomas Jefferson believed that in the early 1800s,

each of these stages could be witnessed firsthand in America.

According to the president, a timeline of human development was laid out over the

country from west to east. A traveler moving from the rocky mountains towards the Atlantic Ocean

would first encounter indigenous hunters with, quote, no law but that of nature, end quote.

As one moved east, the traveler would then come across groups, quote, in a pastoral state,

raising domestic animals to supply the defects of hunting, end quote.

Then as this traveler headed steadily towards the coast, he would encounter, quote, semi-barbarous

citizens of the United States, end quote, followed by, quote, gradual shades of improving man

...