A True American Life

“Let your tongue speak what your heart thinks” is a powerful statement by the “King of the Wild Frontier”, also known as Davy Crockett. That statement is one that each person can take with them and apply it in their daily lives to make them more open and honest with those around them. In a world of corruption and lies, it is important to remember how we feel as individuals and be able to share that with others in order to create an environment of morality, integrity, and sincerity, just like Davy Crockett did. Crockett lived an amazing life that would take hundreds of men of his era to come close to duplicating when trying to measure up to his astounding accomplishments. A man that often lived a life of mythical adventures, became a legend who would help the United States of America to become the country it is today.

The book that I believe every child and adult should take some time to read in order to better one’s understanding of American history is Davy Crockett: A Life on the Frontier by Stephen Krensky. The book explores Davy Crockett’s life from when he was a young child in the backwoods of Tennessee to when he would die fighting for independence for Texas. Growing up in a family that struggled to make ends meet, Crockett would have to take up jobs that required him to leave his family at a young age. One of these jobs was going on a cattle drive at the fledgling age of twelve. This would lead him on many other adventures through Virginia and what would later become West Virginia. His trails would lead him back home to Tennessee though, where he would spend the next few years of his life in the military. Following the completion of his military service, Crockett began what helped propel him into national fame.

Davy Crockett was already well-known for the folk tales that spoke of his unfathomable times and large tales in the wild frontier, but now he was beginning a political career that aided him into becoming an American folk hero. Crockett would spend many years of his life serving the people of Tennessee in public office locally in Tennessee, as well as in Washington D.C. Crockett was a man of strong principles and always stood up for what he thought was right, even when it was unpopular with his constituents in the House of Representatives. One vote that likely cost him his seat in the House, was when he opposed the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which was supported by then President and fellow Tennessean Andrew Jackson. When discussing the Act, Crockett stated, “It was expected of me that I was to bow to the name of Andrew Jackson... even at the expense of my conscience and judgement. such a thing was new to me, and a total stranger to my principles.”

Staying true to his conscience and principles, Jackson would turn towards Texas after not being reelected. Texas was in a battle for its independence from the Mexican government and was not faring very well against the Mexican Army led by Santa Anna. Crockett and Santa Anna would meet in a famous place now commonly known as “The Alamo”. It was in the Battle of the Alamo that Crockett would lose his life, but he would not die in vain as “Remember the Alamo” would become a rallying cry for Texans and helped lead to the independence of Texas. The book is a little longer than previous books I have suggested, but I believe this one to be the best yet, especially with the beautiful illustrations provided.

The book will not only be enjoyable, but it will present the life of a man who stood upon his principles and would not falter from what he believed, no matter who was pressuring him. This is a great lesson from children of all ages to know about and understand because they will come to points in their life where they will be faced with actions they should not partake in because of the circumstances that may exist in the future from their choices and should make the hard, but unpopular choice. As people, each person needs to know what principles they stand for and what they think is right. I believe a fitting way to end, would be to give perhaps Davy Crockett’s most famous quote: “Be sure you are right, then go ahead.” For ideas and situations in our daily lives, we can all do a little better by making sure what we do and say is right according to what we as individuals believe, and not everyone else.