In the winter of 1811-1812, at least three great earthquakes struck the central United States with magnitudes of 8.1, 7.8, and 8.0.
Church bells rang as far away as Richmond, Va., and people in New York City felt the ground shake.
These were not the first major earthquakes in the quad-state region of Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee and according to seismologists, they will not be the last. Studies suggest a recurrence interval of 450 years between earthquakes large enough to produce surface faulting and liquefaction. Identifying the role of the Reelfoot fault, the most seismically active part of the system, will help gauge the likelihood and effects of future seismic activity in the area. What we learn in the New Madrid zone should help us understand areas like Charleston, S.C., and the St. Lawrence Seaway. The art of war has given birth to many technologies that have been adapted to civilian life.