Today, Texas is famous around the world as being the most American state of them all – but it once belonged to Mexico. For almost a decade, it was an independent republic.
Wild Wild West
The story of Westward Expansion in America
Blazing a Trail for Women’s Votes
We often think of the American West as a lawless, uncivilized place. But in the 19th century, it was ahead of its time – as the only part of America where women could vote.
Wanted: The Infamous Reno Gang
Over a two-year period in the 1860s, infamous train robbers the Reno Gang stole the equivalent of $9 million dollars, until an act of vigilantism stopped them in their tracks.
The Donner Party’s Deadly Detour
Taking a shortcut in the unexplored American West was always a gamble – but for the Reed and Donner families it proved catastrophic.
Civil War Battle for the West
One of the most important battles of the Civil War wasn’t fought in the South – it was fought in the West. In March 1862, Union and Confederate forces came face-to-face – at New Mexico’s Glorieta Pass.
Black Cowboys of the West
The stereotypical image of a White cowboy dominates popular culture – but in the 19th century, a quarter of ranch hands were Black!