The Pig War - An 1859 Bloodless Confrontation Between The U.S. and the British Empire Over the San Juan Islands

[Al Dente]

Another in the continuing series of Wikipedia random article fun: The Pig War

In 1859, an American farmer killed a Irishman's pig on San Juan Island creating a conflict between the US and the British Empire. I found this article to be interesting because of the confluence of George Pickett (of Pickett's Charge fame), Geoffrey Hornby (of Admiral of the Royal Navy fame), and Henry Martyn Robert (of Robert's Rules of Order fame).
 
Also, I like the concept of a "bloodless war" and soldiers on opposite sides being friendly with each other.

[DonRocks]

Another in the continuing series of Wikipedia random article fun: The Pig War

In 1859, an American farmer killed a Irishman's pig on San Juan Island creating a conflict between the US and the British Empire. I found this article to be interesting because of the confluence of George Pickett (of Pickett's Charge fame), Geoffrey Hornby (of Admiral of the Royal Navy fame), and Henry Martyn Robert (of Robert's Rules of Order fame).

Also, I like the concept of a "bloodless war" and soldiers on opposite sides being friendly with each other.

One interesting tidbit to keep your world geography in perspective is that the 49th Parallel is the basis for much of our border with Canada (you know, that 1,500-mile-long line that separates the western portions of our countries - that's basically part of the 49th Parallel. Also, Charles de Gaulle Airport (which is north of Paris proper) sits on the 49th Parallel, so you can see (and remember) that Paris is a good bit north of where we live. This is why, when you watch those horrendously interminable flight-progress maps during your trans-Atlantic plane ride, you see we pass Boston, Maine, Nova Scotia, Greenland, etc. before finally reaching the UK (if you actually sit there and watch that dreadful thing, you're in for a jet-lagged day the next day).