Trailblazers of America: Season 1

In 1775, as war raged in the Thirteen Colonies, a brave hunter named Daniel Boone was fighting a different battle—one to open America’s untamed wilderness to settlers. While colonial militias faced British soldiers in New England, Boone blazed trails through Kentucky’s forests and across the Appalachian Mountains. This video episode—based on a PragerU Kids biographical book—tells the first chapter of America’s westward expansion through the life of legendary trailblazer Daniel Boone.

When George Washington was president, America’s frontier was the Northwest Territory—land beneath the Great Lakes and east of the Mississippi River. Settling that land meant surviving in the wild, fighting off hostile Indians, and following a man who planted so many orchards he earned the name Johnny Appleseed. This video episode—based on a PragerU Kids biographical book—tells the second chapter of America’s westward expansion through the tale of Johnny Appleseed, a pioneer who nurtured America’s future with faith and generosity.

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson made the deal of a lifetime. His famous "Louisiana Purchase" from France doubled America's size. But exploring nearly a million square miles of untamed wilderness was no small task. Jefferson chose two brave men to lead the way: Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. This episode—based on a PragerU Kids biographical book—tells the next chapter of America’s westward expansion through the thrilling journey that brought Lewis and Clark all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back again.

In 1836, Americans who had settled in the Mexican province of Texas were in real trouble. The Mexican army was determined to crush their stand for independence. Outnumbered, a small band of settlers took a stand at a fortress called the Alamo—joined by brave frontiersmen like Davy Crockett. This episode—based on a PragerU Kids biographical book—continues America's westward expansion story through the life of one legendary soldier, politician, and folk hero: the "King of the Wild Frontier."

When Americans needed land, they turned west—but immigrants like John Sutter were looking west too. Born in Germany, Sutter arrived in remote California in 1839 and built a fort in the Sacramento Valley. Once there, he welcomed settlers, recruited farmers, and kicked off one of the most dramatic events in U.S. history: the Gold Rush. This episode—based on a PragerU Kids biographical book—continues the saga of westward expansion with a classic immigrant tale, a trailblazer who arrived with nothing and helped many others pursue the American Dream.

The Louisiana Purchase doubled America’s size—but "Manifest Destiny" took it all the way to the Pacific. This episode—based on a PragerU Kids biographical book—brings to life a bold chapter of westward expansion, where men like John C. Frémont and President James K. Polk risked everything to have a country from "sea to shining sea." Teach your teens about Frémont's role in exploring the Midwest, winning California's independence from Mexico, and standing for freedom by supporting the abolition of slavery.

In 1875, America finally stretched from coast to coast. The Union had grown to thirty-seven states, with unsettled territory set aside for the Indians in what is now Oklahoma. Patrolling the Indian Territory and stopping the bandits who made it lawless wasn't easy—but trailblazer Bass Reeves rose to the challenge. This episode—based on a PragerU Kids biographical book—completes the story of America’s westward expansion through the eyes of Bass Reeves, a former slave and fugitive turned self-made lawman.