The Erie Triangle (Ep5)

EPISODE 5:  THE ERIE TRIANGLE.  Why does Pennsylvania (and not New York) have that little wedge of land atop its Northwest corner?  And why has it had such a consequential place in our state’s history, perhaps most notably in the War of 1812?  This episode starts with a discussion of colonial borders as they appear in the Kings’ charters, and then reviews how Pennsylvania’s borders were settled. The Erie Triangle itself was created in 1784, and then sold by the federal government to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1792. The causes of the War of 1812 are reviewed and how, after the shooting starts, a naval arms race on Lake Erie ensues, with an American shipyard established at Presque Isle Bay. The Battle of Lake Erie – an American victory by fleet Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry – and its aftermath is also covered in some detail.

Timestamps for major events/discussions:

[02:16] – The original borders of the Colony of Pennsylvania

[04:43] – “Sea to shining sea” colonial charters

[08:51] – Pennsylvania resolves its border disputes

[10:15] – How the Erie Triangle gets created, and then is sold to Pennsylvania

[14:37] – The War of 1812 and its causes

[32:37] – The Fall of Detroit in 1812

[37:43] – Presque Isle Shipyard and a Naval Arms Race on Lake Erie

[43:46] – Battle of Lake Erie

[48:47] – Aftermath of the Battle of Lake Erie

[52:23] – Books that inspired this episode

Books to read that inspired this episode:  

·      1812: The Navy’s War, by George C. Daughan

·      The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict, by Donald R. Hickey, bicentennial edition

·      The Battle of Lake Erie and Its Aftermath: A Reassessment, edited by David Curtis Skaggs

If you want to read the texts of these colonial charters for yourself, The Avalon Project of the Yale Law School has all of them online.

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·      And, of course, visit Erie, Pennsylvania! 

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