Hardtack

For centuries, hard breads made of flour and water and baked into round, oval, or square shapes have accompanied travelers on long treks, soldiers in military campaigns, and sailors at sea. Hardtack’s first important North American role was in sustaining crews and passengers of European vessels en route to the New World and as a ration in the ensuing sea-borne trade. Ship’s bread continued to feed seamen well into the twentieth century. Hardtack was also known as biscuit, crackers, ship’s bread or biscuit, hard bread or biscuit or crackers; soft tack was fresh bread.