War of 1812

Related Terms • War Hawks • Tecumseh • Tippecanoe • Battle of Detroit • Battle of Lake Erie • Battle of Baltimore • Battle of Washington • Battle of Plattsburg • Battle of Thames River • Battle of New Orleans • Fort Mackinac • Battle of Horseshoe Bend • Isaac Brock • William Hull • Treaty of Ghent • Oliver Hazard Perry • Francis Scott Key • Star-Spangled Banner • Fort McHenry

Definition: American victory over British forces in America and in Canada. Fighting both British and Native American troops in Canada, the U.S., and Florida, the Americans managed to win what some have called the "second war of independence," despite stunning defeats in the north (loss of Fort Detroit) and the symbolic burning of the White House, Capitol, and other government buildings (Battle of Washington). The war had its roots in the Native American conflicts in the Northwest Territory and the British encouragement of those conflicts, as well as the continued British interference with American shipping. The last official battle of the war, the Battle of Baltimore, convinced the British that they didn't have the troops to keep on fighting this war and fighting Napoleon, which they had been doing in Europe for most of the War of 1812 as well. They agreed to peace by signing the Treaty of Ghent. Ironically, commanders for neither side in the South heard of the treaty before the Battle of New Orleans, in January 1815. The American victory put an exclamation point on the overall war victory.

Related Resources:
The War of 1812: Another American Victory
The War of 1812 has often been called the Revolutionary War Part II. And in many ways, it was just that. This fun, illustrated article examines the causes, battles, and aftermath of the war.

The War of 1812
Find out more about the second war between the United States and Great Britain.

The 19th Century
Get a glimpse of what life was like in the exciting 1800s.

Elsewhere on the Web:
Key Events and Causes of the War
See just how amazing this American victory really was!

The War of 1812
Great site gives you the story as never before, including maps, articles, first-hand accounts, and more! In English and French.

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