The past always forges the present. Yet, some events have more impacts than others. Today's individualism, which is spreading worldwide, has deep roots in the American Frontier. https://www.bu.edu/econ/files/2017/03/Frontier-Culture-The-Roots-and-Persistence-of-%E2%80%9CRugged-Individualism%E2%80%9D-in-the-United-States-2.pdf