Amputated Honor

In 1731, a British smuggling ship was boarded by Spanish coast guards in the Caribbean. During the ensuing altercation, the Spanish captain famously severed the ear of the British merchant, Robert Jenkins. For seven years, the amputated ear sat pickled in a jar, largely ignored by the world. Then, it was presented to the British Parliament, sparking a wave of nationalistic outrage that plunged two...