This is an I-Heart podcast.

And we return to our American stories.

And up next, a story from a regular contributor Anne Clare, about a fight over a pig that

almost led to a war. Take it away, Anne.

In spite of its name, the pig war didn't have much to do with farm animals.

Rather, the unfortunate demise of a pig who ventured into the wrong garden in 1859 almost led to an armed conflict,

another armed conflict, between Britain and the United States.

In the early 1800s, multiple countries had sent explorers to the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America.

These explorers laid claim to territory in the new world. However, as

there weren't markings on property lines, Britain, Spain, Russia, and the fledgling United States

all ended up with overlapping claims. Now, by 1819, Spain was out of the running for Pacific

Northwest real estate, thanks to the Transcontinental

Treaty.

President James Monroe's 1823 speech outlining the Monroe Doctrine warned Russia that seeking

interests in North America wouldn't be tolerated.

But this still left Britain and the United States of having to work out their conflicting claims.

Both nations had reasons why they felt their claim was more legitimate.

On the British side, Captain James Cook had conducted important explorations of the coastal areas of the territory.

One of his crew members, George Vancouver, returned and became the first non-native to explore

Puget Sound, giving it its name in the process.

The Hudson Bay Company had been active in the area for years, establishing trade and putting

down roots.

...