How the American West was won

In this episode, we explore how the American West was won, tracing the sweeping expansion that reshaped a continent through frontier settlement, railroads, land grabs, conflict, and mythmaking. We look at the forces that drove westward expansion, from economic ambition and government policy to the stories Americans told themselves about destiny and opportunity, while also confronting the devastating consequences for Indigenous nations, Mexican communities, and the environment. This conversation unpacks the legend of the Wild West alongside the harder realities of conquest, displacement, survival, and power that defined the making of the modern American West.