Steamboat jack: the degenerate scion of a noble line? Cultural representations of the American sailor and the meaning of maritime in the nineteenth century great lakes maritime world

Includes bibliography. === Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. === By the nineteenth century, ships and sailors were firmly entrenched as symbols of American progress and nationalism; however, the development of the Great Lakes maritime world challenged the meaning of “maritime” and...

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Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Brown, Dana S. (author)
Format: Others
Language:English
Published: Florida Atlantic University
Online Access:http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004242
Description
Summary:Includes bibliography. === Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. === By the nineteenth century, ships and sailors were firmly entrenched as symbols of American progress and nationalism; however, the development of the Great Lakes maritime world challenged the meaning of “maritime” and the cultural symbolism of the American sailor. A growing anxiety that the influence and power of New England traditions would diminish as the nation moved westward resulted in a shared discourse between religious reformers and influential leaders of Cleveland, Ohio. Their language ascribed the symbolism of Jack Tar as essential for maintaining cultural hegemony. This thesis examines how this power struggle transpired at the intersection of race, class and geopolitical rivalry, altering the depiction of Jack Tar to Steamboat Jack.