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OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE

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The Pig War    NEW!

Would you believe a pig almost changed the course of American history? When a potato-loving British pig was shot by an American settler in 1859, the resulting dispute set loose simmering passions that very nearly led to war between the United States and Great Britain, just as America was on the eve of the Civil War. This course will examine competing territorial claims to the Pacific Northwest and how imprecise language in the Oregon Treaty of 1846 resulted in disputed ownership of the San Juan Islands. Besides covering the conflicting claims to the San Juan Islands, the course will examine: the mutually provocative actions of the U.S. Army and the Hudson’s Bay Co.; and how the disputes (including the pig shooting) were eventually settled; the controversial actions and motives of two Southern-born American Army officers, George Picket and William Selby Harney, who seemed hellbent on provoking war with Great Britain in 1859.
 
  • The Pig War – In-Person
  • Item Number: W25HIST304A
    Dates: 2/27/2025 - 3/13/2025
    Times: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
    Days: Th
    Sessions: 3
    Maximum Enrollment:  32
    Building: Campbell Center
    Room: Room D
    Instructor: James Cannon
    This course is full. Please click the "Add to Waitlist" button. Please note: You must be signed in and be a current member (or have a membership in your cart) to access the "Add to Waitlist" button. 
    Would you believe a pig almost changed the course of American history? When a potato-loving British pig was shot by an American settler in 1859, the resulting dispute set loose simmering passions that very nearly led to war between the United States and Great Britain, just as America was on the eve of the Civil War. This course will examine competing territorial claims to the Pacific Northwest and how imprecise language in the Oregon Treaty of 1846 resulted in disputed ownership of the San Juan Islands. Besides covering the conflicting claims to the San Juan Islands, the course will examine: the mutually provocative actions of the U.S. Army and the Hudson’s Bay Co.; and how the disputes (including the pig shooting) were eventually settled; the controversial actions and motives of two Southern-born American Army officers, George Picket and William Selby Harney, who seemed hellbent on provoking war with Great Britain in 1859.
 

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