Trailblazers of AmericaTV Show

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.