Why the U.S. and Britain Nearly Went to War Over a Pig episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 11, 2026 · 10 MIN

Why the U.S. and Britain Nearly Went to War Over a Pig

from Our American Stories · host iHeartPodcasts

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1859, a pig wandered onto the wrong farm and sparked an international standoff. The United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over a single hog on San Juan Island, in what is now Washington State. History teacher and Our American Stories regular contributor Anne Clare shares the story of the strange chain of events that followed, when pride, politics, and a dead pig led to armed troops, tense negotiations, and the possibility of war. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 11, 2026

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Why the U.S. and Britain Nearly Went to War Over a Pig

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