Beyond legends and gunfire, the West emerges through overlooked lives and conflicts.

This four-part series uncovers the real history of the Wild West, moving past familiar gunslingers and lawmen to reveal the diverse pioneers who shaped a country. Explore stories of colonial expansion, Native resistance, migration, and identity, and see how the myths of the American West compare with the people and forces that made it.

Episode guide

4 episodes

1Into the Wild

Young historians, guides, and descendants tell the untold stories of the Wild West. From the rich history of the Native Americans who were there long before the “west was won” to the trickle of frontiersmen that becomes a flood of settlers seeking furs, gold, a free homestead, and a new start.

55 min

2Wars for the West

Manifest Destiny. The U.S. provokes a war with Mexico, taking California and much of the Southwest. The United States is forged in wars and now stretches coast to coast.

58 min

3Boom and Bust

The new West is a land of unprecedented opportunity. In less than a century, millions of prospectors rush to gold fields, boomtowns appear overnight, and a transcontinental railroad allows travelers to cross the country in only seven days. It is a century of ambition, greed, fame, and fortune.

52 min

4Mayhem and Myth

The Wild West is born out of the desperation following the Civil War. Outlaws rampage and rob while lawmen become legends. It’s a time drenched in boozin’, gamblin’ and womanizing. However, the famed Wild West looked a lot different than what we see in movies.

50 min

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