The History of the Can

I have found a document on line that gives a fairly detailed history of the can.  The invention of the can is interesting and begins with the Napoleonic Wars and an offer of money to whoever invented a way of preserving food for transport.  Nicholas Appert won this money by preserving food in glass jars.  A tin-plated iron can was invented by Peter Durand in 1810.

This image is taken from the website.  It is of women working in an oyster cannery in the 1870s.