What motivated the early pioneers to settle the Northwest Territory? Was the allure of the west based solely on idealism? What other factors—political, social, and/or economic—may have been at play?

Does the treatment of Indigenous peoples undercut David McCullough’s argument about the pioneers’ commitment to the ideals of freedom and education? Why or why not?

Why were the cultures of Indigenous peoples and the white settlers at odds? Were they mutually exclusive? Why or why not?