Star Spangled Shadows

Back in 1763, the British Government laid out the Royal Proclamation of 1763 upon the American Colonies. This proclamation forbade any settlement of British citizens west of the Appalachian Mountains. With a growing population, a lack of land, and no voice in the British Government this decision angered many colonists and is often cited as one of the main reasons for the American Revolution. But how did a lacrosse game influence the colonies in their revolt against Great Britain? To find out you'll just have to listen!

Believe it or not, back in the early 1800s the US Navy had the fireship, or ‘floating volcano’ as they called it, in their playbook. This was a ship filled to the brim with explosives, designed to be sailed directly into an enemy fleet where it would explode. It ended up being a complete disaster, which is probably why this incident is hardly ever discussed in our history textbooks. In this episode, we will be working through the events that eventually led up to the Navy’s use of this fireship maneuver. Along the way, we will be talking about Pirates, some underhanded moves the U.S. government pulled off and an epidemic of duels that were threatening the early U.S. Navy.