Background Knowledge of 1812
Overview
      The Basics - The War of 1812 is sometimes called the "Second War of Independence" or the "forgotten war." It was fought until 1815 between the United States and Great Britain. This conflict was caused mainly by the U.S. resentment of British naval harassment. The British were already at war with France. They seized American ships and took seamen from them, some who were U.S. citizens. The British also attempted to keep U.S. ships from reaching French ports.


     More Detail - The War of 1812 could be called the "war of poor communication." Two days before the declaration of war, Great Britain agreed to repeal the naval laws which were chiefly responsible for the conflict. Speedy communication would have also eliminated the greatest battle, the Battle of New Orleans that occurred 15 days after a peace treaty had been signed.
     The United States, still a fledgling country, risked national disaster by again going to war with powerful Great Britain. Support in the US was divided with the West and South 'hawkish' for a fight, but people of the New England regions calling for cooler leadership and strongly opposed to war. As the war continued, this internal division of support was amplified. It was also strange that this war over freedom of the seas began with an unsuccessful land invasion of Canada. The Treaty of Ghent ended the war but restored territories to prewar status and established a commission to settle Northwest Territory boundary disputes. Both sides claimed victory.