THE AMERICAN PERCEPTION OF THE TURKS : AN HISTORICAL RECORD

Abstract

Turkish-American diplomatic rclaions, since its foundation in the first half of the nineteenth century, vvas conducted vvithin a friendly atmosphere. Tvvo countries never entered into vvars vvith each other, or became members of opposing alliances. Trade relations, too, flourished during the nineteeth and early tvventieeth centuries; especially, Turkish traditional goods have been vvidely exported to the United States. In spite of fairly vvarm political and economic relations, Turkish image in the United States has not been able to keep up vvith this. Importing negative images about the Turks, Turkey and islam from the European vvriters, the American people initially developed prejudicial Turkish image. These negative images further developed during the rebellions of the Ottoman Empire's non-Muslim subjects against the Turkish rule, and, despite the Turkish efforts to the contrary, carried över to he Republican period. This article evaluates the emergence of the Turkish image in the United States during the late eighteenth century onvvards, in order to find underlining causes of negative American perception of the Turks.