Steamboat jack: the degenerate scion of a noble line? Cultural representations of the American sailor and the meaning of maritime in the nineteenth century great lakes maritime world

By the nineteenth century, ships and sailors were firmly entrenched as symbols
of American progress and nationalism; however, the development of the Great Lakes
maritime world challenged the meaning of “maritime” and the cultural symbolism of
the American sailor. A growing anxiety that the influence and power of New England
traditions would diminish as the nation moved westward resulted in a shared discourse
between religious reformers and influential leaders of Cleveland, Ohio. Their language
ascribed the symbolism of Jack Tar as essential for maintaining cultural hegemony.
This thesis examines how this power struggle transpired at the intersection of race, class
and geopolitical rivalry, altering the depiction of Jack Tar to Steamboat Jack.