War of 1812

BACKGROUND

A war between the British Empire and the United States of America from 1812-1815 CE. Generally considered a spin-off conflict or associated minor conflict to the Napoleanic Wars, because the original issue of the war was the United States' issues with Britain and France who blockaded American shipping that resulted from the larger war and thus violated America's rights as a neutral nation. James Monroe was president at this time. Other notable leaders were Governer Prevost of Lower Canada, General Isaac Brock, Native leader Tecumseh, and General Jackson.

Because of the geography of the conflict and the United States of America's contemporary status as a minor power, the only way for America to vent its rage against Britain was to attack Britain's possessions north of its borders. The British provinces and homelands of the emerging two nations of future Canada, Upper Canada (Ontario), and Lower Canada (Québec) as well as the American New England States were the primary theatres of conflict.

RESULT

Treaty of Ghent ends War of 1812, restores status quo ante bellum. Significant loss of life and property, including vital government infrastructure from the burning of York, Upper Canada, and Washington, D.C. Despite the obvious ill feeling generated by the conflict, the Treaty of Ghent provided for the creation of commisions to deal peacefully issues between the United States and Great Britain, and later on Canada. The aftermath of the war also was notable as a dark period for the native tribes of North America, as the destruction of Tecumseh's Confederacy broke the power of the eastern Native tribes and paved the way for unchecked American expansion at their expense.

LEGACY

Probably the most misrepresented chapter of North American history, generations of obsessively jignostic Canadians and Americans have bent the historical facts to conclude that their nation "won" the conflict. The British, being the sane ones in this cherade, don't really care that much.

Canadians tend to assert that it was their militia had handily defeated the USA and burnt the White House. This is false, a British fleet did the deed. Canadian militia merely held their ground.

Americans tend to claim victory over the Battle of New Orleans, when this battle happened after the Treaty of Ghent was signed, and the British force could not be reached in time to inform them.

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