As the American Revolution drew to a close and the colonies claimed
independence from Britain, the United States' gaze turned west to the
vast expanse of land that was seemingly ripe for the taking. After all,
according to their Manifest Destiny, it was their God-given right to
expand. In American West, uncover the resistance that these
enterprising settlers faced, from the Native Americans to the
unforgiving terrain. Discover the reality of what life was like on the
frontier, and meet some of the key figures in creating the legend of the
Wild West, including Billy the Kid and Wyatt Earp. Elsewhere, find out
how the Native Americans suffered at the hands of the western settlers,
from wars and legislation that stripped them of their rights, to
attempts to crush existing cultures.