The Erie Triangle (Ep5)

Why the map of Pennsylvania has that little right triangle of land at the Northwest corner and why it has been a consequential place in our state’s history, perhaps most notably in the War of 1812. The episode starts with a discussion of colonial borders as they appear in the Kings’ charters and then reviews how Pennsylvania’s borders were settled. The Erie Triangle itself is created in 1784 and then sold by the federal government to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1792. The causes of the War of 1812 are reviewed and how, after the shooting starts, a naval arms race on Lake Erie ensues, and an American shipyard established at Presque Isle Bay. The Battle of Lake Erie – an American victory by fleet Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry – and its aftermath is covered in some detail.