The rough riders at home and abroad: cody, roosevelt, remington and the imperialist hero

Abstract

In the late nineteenth century, America displayed a new imperialistic mood and a heightened desire to impress her independence upon Europe when she embarked upon a number of military adventures in the Caribbean and Pacific. During the same period, there appeared a new popular hero — the "Rough Rider" — who derived from the Western frontier but expanded the field of heroic action well beyond the shores of America. The creation of this hero and the scene in which he was set demonstrates how popular culture of the period not only embodied but facilitated crucial developments in the nation's growth. The process of creation also shows how commercial agencies — popular circuses, yellow newspapers, mass magazines — became prime movers in the formation of America's interna- tional image.