| Throughout its history as a frontier of westward expansion, a source of coal and timber, and a focus of political and religious benevolence, the Appalachian region of the United States has been perceived in a variety of ways. Its people have been defined as: courageous, pioneers, quaint, provincial, peculiar, backward, hillbillies, rednecks, poor. These labels, often applied by outsiders, worked together with Appalachians' perception of themselves to obscure the contribution of Appalachian values to their chosen land.; The purpose of this study is twofold: to chart the development of Appalachian life and values through the lenses of history, oral history, and literature, and to propose that these values are essential qualities of American pioneers that hold promise for Americans grappling with life on the cyber frontier. |
