John Gast's American Progress From 1872

John Gast’s painting of American Progress from 1872 shows the progress of modernization. The American Progress is Gast’s most known formerly piece of work. It shows many different advancements and improvements in areas such as technology, transportation, political, economic, scientific and personal growth. This painting was used in travel brochures to promote the Westward movement. It encouraged Easterner to move out West and to begin a new life. During this time, many early Americans believed in the manifest destiny that gave them the right to take whatever they wanted.
The most noticeable object in this painting is the large Angelic figure in the middle. I think she represents the spirit of America. She has the “star of the empire” on her forehead and in her right hand, she carries a schoolbook that indicates education. In her left hand, we see telegraph wires being draped across
First we see the wild animals and Native American, followed by the early Explorers and Miners. Next we see the wagon trains that carried emigrants to the west to Oregon and California. Even though it was only around for a short period, the Pony Express is next. On the lower right side, we can see 2 homesteaders using a couple steer to plow the ground to make way for a new garden. Toward the back, we can see three railroad lines moving in different directions from the Mississippi River.
Taking a more in depth look at the different areas of this painting, we see a group of Indians fleeing from the oncoming civilization. We see a mother and child sitting on a travois being pulled by a horse, one Indian has his tomahawk raised and another with a bow and arrow look back with a scowl on their faces. However there are some other Indians and teepees in the foreground that appear to be doing some sort of chant possibly to ward off these intruders from their