John Gast — American Progress

American Progress is an allegorical representation of north american west modernization. Columbia — intended as a feminine personification of the United States —, bearing on her forehead a star (symbol of inteligence), carrying a book (emblem of education/enlightenment) in her right hand, and stringing telegraph wire with her left hand as she travels, leads civilization westward with American settlers, . The different economic activities of the pioneers are highlighted and, especially, the changing forms of transportation. The Native Americans and wild animals flee.