Hard to Swallow – A Brief History of Hardtack and Ship’s Biscuit

“Made using salt, water and wheat flour (which is rich in protein, vitamins and calories), hardtack could provide modest nutrition for a crew at sea or an army in the field for weeks, even months.”…

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Fresh Water Fights – Six Naval Battles That Took Place Miles From the Nearest Ocean

“Lake Erie isn’t the only famous ‘sea battle’ not to be fought at sea. Here are some others.” THE MOST DECISIVE NAVAL BATTLE of the War of 1812 took place on Sept. 10, 1813. That’s…

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America’s First Soldiers — 12 Remarkable Facts About the Continental Army

“Although the Continental Army began the American Revolution as a mob of amateurs, by 1780 it had evolved into a European-style fighting force capable of standing up to the best King George could throw at it.” ONE OF THE…

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Big Bangs – Some of the Largest Wartime Explosions in History

AT PRECISELY 11:11 a.m. on Nov. 27, 1944, the relative quiet of RAF Fauld near Staffordshire, England was shattered when a 4,000-lb. bomb in the base’s 1,700 sq. ft. underground munitions bunker accidentally detonated. The resulting…

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‘This Changes Everything’ – Infographic Charts 100 Years of Unrest That Followed Archduke’s Death

How is the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand connected to the current unrest in Iraq? According to this infographic from James Carson, founder and editor of the new website MadeFromHistory.com, the June 28, 1914 shooting…

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O Say Can You See – Seven Little-Known Facts About Francis Scott Key and the Star Spangled Banner

By Jeffrey Roth Most critics agree that The Star-Spangled-Banner is difficult to sing. Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to the iconic song after watching the Sept. 13 to 14, 1814 British bombardment of Fort…

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