The Entire History Of The American Frontier - FULL DOCUMENTARY

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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