The Prolonged Conflict Over a Pig

In 1859, an American shot a pig that belonged to the Hudson’s Bay Company. Suddenly, the U.S. and British Empire were on the brink of war once again. The incident became known as The Pig War, and it claimed one casualty: the pig. Over the years, tales about the conflict have been embellished and exaggerated, conspiracy theories invented, and lessons derived. But underneath all the folklore is a story of peace, diplomacy, and how we make meaning out of history. *This episode originally dropped on Oct. 15, 2024.