ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Seacoast defense in the United States

Seacoast defense is when people put up big walls or forts or guns to protect the people living close to the oceans from enemies who might come by sea.

The United States used to have lots of forts and guns along the coastline, especially during times when people worried that other countries might attack them. They spent lots of time and money building places to keep watch for any enemies coming and preparing for any attacks.

The forts and walls were built by the government and soldiers lived there to keep an eye on things. They had big guns, called cannons, that they would shoot if danger was spotted. The soldiers, called coast artillery soldiers, would practice a lot and make sure everything worked well.

Nowadays, seacoast defense is still important, but it is done differently because there are new ways to protect the country. Instead of forts and cannons, they use technology like surveillance cameras and drones to watch out for any danger. They also have navigation and radar systems to help spot any boats or ships that might be a threat.

So even though there aren't as many big forts and cannons as there used to be, the United States still takes seacoast defense very seriously to keep everyone safe.