### Dahomey had thousands of female troops in the 1800s > By the mid-1800s, Dahomey boasted thousands of female troops as it sought to outmuscle rival kingdoms. When clashes erupted, victors were known to force their enemies into labor or sell them in the slave trade. > > Amazons began training in girlhood: swinging blades, loading Flintlock muskets, climbing thorny barricades. They drank imported brandy and belted out war songs. > >The tradition ended when France invaded. - [[The Amazons of Dahomey by Danielle Paquette#Dahomey had thousands of female troops in the 1800s|View in Vault]]