How Washington's crossing of the Delaware presaged a changing world

February 15, 2026

TL;DR

The ice on the Delaware River in 1776 was crucial for Washington's surprise crossing and victory at Trenton.
Winter temperatures in the Philadelphia area are now 5.5 degrees warmer than in 1970.
Ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica provide air samples dating back 800,000 years.
Carbon dioxide levels, stable for millennia, began to rise sharply around 1800 due to the burning of fossil fuels.
The Industrial Revolution, beginning around the American Revolution, led to increased CO2 emissions and global warming.
Changes in climate are ongoing and will continue to shape the world.

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