From untamed wilderness to a nation stretching from sea to shining sea, the American Frontier is one of the most captivating stories in history. But how did it happen? How did pioneers, presidents, and powerful corporations transform an entire continent in just 150 years?

Inspired by The History of the American Frontier by Frederic Paxson—winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1925 for his brilliant work covering the period from 1763 to 1893—this documentary delves deep into the triumphs, tragedies, and transformations that defined the Westward Expansion.

From the Louisiana Purchase to the Civil War, from violent conflicts with Native Americans to the rise of the railroads—this was an era of relentless ambition, brutal struggles, and monumental change. But behind every victory, there was a cost… and a story you’ve likely never been told.

This is the untold story of how America was built—and the people, battles, and bold decisions that shaped it. Welcome to the entire history of the American Frontier.

This video was fully researched, written, and edited by the Wild America team.

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CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:53 - Chapter I: The American Frontier of 1763

00:05:20 - Chapter II: The Forks of the Ohio

00:08:38 - Chapter III: The Shenandoah Country and the Tennessee

00:11:30 - Chapter IV: The Rear of the Revolution

00:15:11 - Chapter V: The Land Problem

00:18:32 - Chapter VI: Creation of the Public Domain

00:23:31 - Chapter VII: The National Land System

00:29:14 - Chapter VIII: The Old Northwest

00:33:37 - Chapter IX: The Western Boundaries

00:37:15 - Chapter X: The First New States

00:41:44 - Chapter XI: Political Theories Of The Frontier

00:47:05 - Chapter XII: Jeffersonian Democracy

00:53:28 - Chapter XIII: The Frontier Of 1800

01:00:17 - Chapter XIV: Ohio, The Clash Of Principles

01:07:46 - Chapter XV: The Purchase Of Louisiana

01:16:20 - Chapter XVI: Problems Of The Southwest Border

01:43:21 - Chapter XVII: The Bonds Of Unity

01:51:44 - Chapter XVIII: The Wabash Frontier: Tecumseh, 1811

01:58:02 - Chapter XIX: The Western War Of 1812

02:04:43 - Chapter XX: Stabilizing The Frontier

02:11:35 - Chapter XXI: The Great Migration

02:19:03 - Chapter XXII: Statehood On The Ohio: Indiana And Illinois

02:26:32 - Chapter XXIII: The Cotton Kingdom: Mississippi And Alabama

02:33:20 - Chapter XXIV: Missouri: The New Sectionalism

02:39:00 - Chapter XXV: Public Land Reform

02:45:30 - Chapter XXVI: Frontier Finance

02:52:21 - Chapter XXVII: The American System

02:59:34 - Chapter XXVIII: Jacksonian Democracy

03:06:21 - Chapter XXIX: The East, And The Western Markets

03:13:38 - Chapter XXX: The Western Internal Improvements

03:20:03 - Chapter XXXI: The Permanent Indian Frontier, 1825-1841

03:27:52 - Chapter XXXII: The Mississippi Valley Boom

03:33:43 - Chapter XXXIII: The Border States: Michigan And Arkansas

03:40:32 - Chapter XXXIV: The Independent State Of Texas

03:48:22 - Chapter XXXV: The Prostrate West

03:54:51 - Chapter XXXVI: The Trail To Santa Fe

03:59:54 - Chapter XXXVII: The Settlement Of Oregon

04:06:02 - Chapter XXXVIII: The “state” Of Deseret

04:12:37 - Chapter XXXIX: The War With Mexico

04:18:40 - Chapter XL: The Conquest Of California

04:23:47 - Chapter XLI: Far West And Politics

04:27:48 - Chapter XLII: Preemption

04:32:57 - Chapter XLIII: The Frontier Of The Forties

04:39:53 - Chapter XLIV: The Railroad Age

04:44:00 - Chapter XLV: Land Grants And The Western Roads

04:49:20 - Chapter XLVI: Kansas-Nebraska And The Indian Country

04:55:24 - Chapter XLVII: “Pike’s Peak Or Bust”

05:01:58 - Chapter XLVIII: The Frontier Of The Mineral Empire

05:07:48 - Chapter XLIX: The Overland Route

05:13:45 - Chapter L: The Public Lands: Wide Open

05:19:10 - Chapter LI: The Plains In The Civil War

05:25:50 - Chapter LII: The Union Pacific Railroad

05:31:20 - Chapter LIII: The Disruption Of The Tribes

05:38:05 - Chapter LIV: The Panic Of 1873

05:42:37 - Chapter LV: Frontier Panaceas

05:48:08 - Chapter LVI: The Cow Country

05:54:13 - Chapter LVII: The Closed Frontier

05:58:43 - Chapter LVIII: The Admission Of The “omnibus” States

06:03:57 - Chapter LIX: The Disappearance Of The Frontier

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All materials in these videos are used for educational purposes and fall within the guidelines of fair use. No copyright infringement is intended. If you are or represent the copyright owner of materials used in this video and have a problem with the use of said material, please contact me via my email in the "about" page on my channel.

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As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Wild America sometimes utilizes similar historical images. All content on Wild America is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes.

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