Otto's Tales: From Sea to Shining Sea | PragerU Kids

[Music] hey you guys are early I was just finishing my lunch welcome to 's Tales story time brought to you by prep Prager used resources for educators and parents do you hi I would love some mustard how sweet Oto this isn't real mustard you silly dog I'm Jill and today we're reading from sea to shining sea written by kalista Gingrich and illustrated by Susan arciero now there's someone who has a very unique name in this story and I want you to listen for her name and let's see if you can find it by the end of the episode Ellis the elephant loved the American Tail where courage determination and freedom Prevail he wanted to know how America came to be a nation United from sea to shining sea the country was young and needed to elect a strong president the people would respect George Washington had led the American Revolution and became the first president under the Constitution Ellis read how the people searched for a place to build a new capital the nation would Embrace to honor a man who helped make America free they founded a city called Washington DC congressmen and senators from from each and every state met at the capital for political debate elected to serve and make big choices they came to represent America's voices Ellis was surprised the president could command whether congress's bills became the law of the land the Constitution called for real cooperation between these two branches to govern the nation President John Adams was second to preside but in Washington DC the first to reside it was here that he lived with Abigail his spouse in a home we know today as the White House Thomas Jefferson was elected president number three and was eager to grow the land of the free he looked to the West for America to expand and signed a treaty with France for a large piece of land the Louisiana Purchase added much to explore in a nation now twice as big as before Ellis wondered why the French had agreed to the deal for half of a continent the price was a steal the territory treaty now settled and signed Jefferson was curious to see what he could find he asked his friend Maryweather Lewis to start a daring expedition to explore these new parts Lewis knew he needed all the help he could get the task was quite daunting he had to admit so Lewis decided before he'd Embark he wanted to bring his dear friend William Clark together they assembled a talented team to join them as part of this perilous scheme the core of Discovery as the group was known would venture together into the unknown in Illinois they gathered to train and prepare and strengthen themselves for the voyage they'd share up River they sailed into the Western frontier on a journey that would last for more than 2 years Ellis was excited the adventure had begun exploring the West seemed like so much fun but Ellis soon learned there was real work to do making Maps taking notes studying specimens too the journey continued as the weeks passed by and before very long it was the 4th of July to Mark Independence Day for their Young Nation they fired a cannon in great celebration the Explorers made new friends nearly every day as natives guided Lewis and Clark on their way soon they added a special friend to their crew her name was sakaia and she helped get them through she knew how to speak with the drives and explain their treacherous journey across the Great Plains her husband came too as part of the team both earning the voyagers love and esteem the North Dakota winter was terribly cold waiting for spring they put their Journey on hold they selected a spot and constructed a fort near a village of mandans who offered support the Explorers lik the new tribe they befriended and spent time together as the long year ended excited to see what the future would bring they gathered on New Year's to dance and to sing along the way they encountered dangerous beasts including animals they'd never seen in the East one day Mr Lewis had a terrible scare as he came face to face with a great grizzly bear the Explorers had never seen Grizzlies before and Ellis sure hoped they would not see more they took careful notes of the Bear's every detail just like all discoveries they made on the Trail for the rest of their Journey they left horses behind since travel by river was now the best kind their new friends the nees Pur had tips they could use and taught the explorers to build Dugout canoes the crew went to the forest and cut down pine trees then made sturdy boats with their friends expertise to hollow the trunks they stoked fires inside and before Ellis knew it they had a new ride the Expedition moved West through the difficult terrain steep mountains rivers and wide open Plains and one day the voyagers reached the Pacific Ellis was thrilled exploring was terrific The Travelers had gone as far as they could go blazing new trails for America to grow they stayed through the winter to enjoy what they'd found and when spring finally came well they were Homeward Bound slowly Brave settlers moved into the West forming new territories as they progressed before long they petitioned to be states too admitted to the union full of red white and blue Ellis gave it some thought and quickly concluded that all of these people just couldn't be excluded soon the nation grew past the original 13 from coast to coast and everywhere in between America had become such a large nation that traveling through it took real Innovation this was a challenge Robert Fulton understood he invented a steamboat and changed the country for good Ellis learned that steamboats quickly filled the rivers traveling north and south with cargo to deliver ships were loaded with Goods passengers and mail the Mississippi bustled when they all set sail soon wagon trains headed west full of pioneers who bravely left their homes in search of New Frontiers many families made the leap excited by the chance to build themselves a better life in the great expanse Ellis was inspired by those unafraid to explore risking all they had in search of something more they'd carried Freedom forward and now Ellis could see how they'd forged a growing Nation United by Liberty the end we love this book not only because Ellis the elephant is an adorable Adventurer but because it explains to us how the United States grew to be so big Lewis and Clark were real men two great explorers and they were the first Americans to travel so far west to discover nature and native tribes in a land that no one else had traveled through before I mean without them people wouldn't have known what America's land in the west was like and their trip inspired others all of us in America to explore now OT did you hear the very unique name sakaia very good and hey would you ever like to go on a journey like that I know you'd be hungry I understand I'm hungry too time to finish lunch a well thanks for watching Auto Tales check out some of our other stories too keep reading keep watching and keep exploring aoto I need my 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