From the big woods of Wisconsin to the Indian country of the Great Plains, new adventures and landscapes filled the rich childhood of Laura Ingalls Wilder. On a frontier steeped in both danger and great possibility, Laura would grow up to witness firsthand the rapid transformation of the West as pioneers and covered wagons gave way to farms, towns, and railroads. A pioneer, teacher, farmer's wife, and storyteller, Laura Ingalls Wilder experienced one of the most exciting times in American history - history that this gifted writer brought to life for millions.

Clara pushed herself to work faster. She had to get the wounded soldiers onto the train before the Confederates came over the hill. A messenger galloped up just as the last man was loaded aboard. "You have to go now!" he shouted. "The enemy is breaking over the hills. If the train is stopped, you will have to escape across country!"

Growing up in Greene County, Tennessee, Davy Crockett was educated through the toil of hard labor. Working as a farm hand and wagon driver, he learned about the people and the land of the West - and he was captivated. The untamed wilderness, the sound of wild animals, and the roar of the river would be his destiny. One of America's best-known folk heroes, Crockett (1786-1836) served as a frontiersman, a scout, a soldier, and a politician in the US Congress. He died defending the Alamo, a steadfast citizen and heroic leader to the very end.

Meriwether Lewis had been commissioned by President Jefferson to lead a daring expedition so remarkable it would become one of the most famous explorations in history. He chose William Clark as his co-captain. Their mission: to find a land route to the Pacific Ocean while learning as much as possible about the thousands of miles of unexplored territory they struggled through.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) had never set his sights on becoming president; after all, he'd grown up in a log cabin on the frontier and had hardly any formal schooling. But as the question of slavery threatened to destroy the United States, this self-taught lawyer with a sharp mind and passion for justice found himself at the center of the greatest debate the nation had ever faced.

On a dangerous mission for the British army, young Major Washington (1732-1799) had no idea that one day he would lead an army of fellow colonials in a bitter battle for independence against Great Britain herself, the most powerful empire in the world. In each new crisis, the young United States sought out George Washington. As commander in chief of the Continental army, chairman of the Constitutional Convention, and first president, this indispensable American served the struggling nation when its survival and form hanged in the balance.

Determined to make a difference and with an insatiable curiosity, love of adventure, and hunger for justice, Theodore Roosevelt exemplified a life directed by principle and not by circumstance. Overcoming severe asthma and a weak heart set young Teddy on a life course against the odds.

The mainsail cracked above them in the ferocious wind as a group of red-faced men descended on John. "You have brought a curse on us. Overboard with you," one of the men yelled. A chorus of cheers went up. It was the last sound John heard before he was dumped over the side of the ship and engulfed by the dark, roiling ocean. Thrown overboard, enslaved by the Turks, captured by pirates, rescued by a princess - the story of Englishman John Smith (1580-1631) would seem unbelievable were it fiction.

From his early days living in small-town poverty, young Dutch Reagan’s (1911-2004) thoughts were always on the future. Whether helping his family through financial hard times or doggedly pursuing opportunities reserved for the few, Dutch knew that all the knowledge that he had absorbed over the years was waiting inside of him for a chance to come out.

Growing up in Massachusetts, longing to be a farmer like his father, John Adams (1735-1826) never imagined the vital role he would one day play in the transformation of the colonies into an independent American nation. As the injustices of British rule stirred up the colonists to revolution and independence, this rising young lawyer became and influential member of the Continental Congress and a passionate advocate for freedom.

Whether masterminding strategy and fighting on the front lines to secure Allied victory in World War I and World War II or guiding war-torn nations to recovery in peacetime, five-star General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964) faced every challenge with unwavering courage and resolve. The general began his honored army career by leading his fellow cadets at West Point and ultimately commanded all U.S. forces in Asia.

As adventurers from around the world raced to reach the South Pole and achieve other polar firsts in the early 1900s, outsider Ernest Shackleton and his motley expeditions would outshine even the British navy, becoming icons of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Known for prizing loyalty, leadership, and skill without regard for rank or social class - and for bringing men back alive - Shackleton completed three death-defying Antarctic journeys.

With the heart of an explorer and the passion of an evangelist, David Livingstone mapped vast, unexplored areas of Africa, sharing the gospel with whomever he encountered. His stamina, perseverance, and dogged determination created the legacy of a trailblazing explorer with an undying hunger to make Christ known wherever his steps led him. David Livingstone's captivating adventures and tireless zeal continue to inspire countless men and women to bring the gospel message of God's love to those souls who have never heard.

When Milton Hershey's famous Hershey Bars debuted in 1905, few people knew of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice preceding the triumph. Debt, lack of support, and fatigue had been constant companions for the famous chocolatier and philanthropist - a man with a fourth-grade education. Despite comparisons to his wandering father, Milton never gave up. Learning from his mistakes, he spent a lifetime creating sweet things to eat - first caramel, then chocolate.

William burst into the house. "I have found my destiny!" he shouted. "I have found a place where there is so much human misery in such a small space that there is a lifetime's worth of work there for me!" Horrified by the poverty and suffering most people took for granted in industrial England, William Booth dedicated his life to bringing the Gospel to the outcasts of society who would never enter a church and weren't welcome there.