Facebook Twitter Digg Stumbleupon Yahoo My Web

 
Interesting US History
A Website Devoted to Interesting Events in U.S. History

 

 
 

 

THE WAR OF 1812

The main reason for the war of 1812 was America's frustration over the British interference with American shipping due to it's embargo on trade with France.  For years, America tried to get the British to revoke the "Orders in Council" but finally decided the only way to prevent the interference was to go to war so war was finnally declared on June 18, 1812.

What the Americans didn't know was that the British had revoked the "Orders in Council" two days before the delcaration of war but it had taken two months for the news to reach Washinton and it was too late.  Even President James Madison himself admitted later that if he had known about the change, he would have held off on the war delcaration. 

The War of 1812 went on for two years and ended with the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814.  Once again, lack of communication had a huge impact.  It took two months for this news to reach the battlefield reulting in one of the great land victories in American history when Andrew Jackson defeated the British in the Battle of New Orleans in January of 1815.

< Previous

Interesting History Facts

Next >

INTERESTING BOOKS ABOUT
THE WAR OF 1812 

The War of 1812: A SHORT HISTORY

The War of 1812: A FORGOTTEN CONFLICT