John Sutter

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.