The (U.S.) War of 1812

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Lon
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The (U.S.) War of 1812

Post by Lon »

I find it interesting that in my and most of my fellow countrymen's education through grades 12, how little, If any, time was spent studying this most interesting conflict between the U.S. and The British Empire. Our Revolutionary War, Spanish Conquistadors and a bit of our Civil War was covered.

What did you Brits get in your early schooling about the 1812 War with the U.S.

or did your conflict with France during this time take precedence?

War of 1812 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clodhopper
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The (U.S.) War of 1812

Post by Clodhopper »

Doubt many will know of it. In early schooling there's little or none and in secondary if that period is covered there'll be a mention but probably not much more. In comparison with the global struggle against Napoleonic France it barely rates as a scuffle and we were seven years post Trafalgar and three years from Waterloo: Wellington was about to launch his Vitoria campaign which would liberate Spain; and the Prussians, Austrians and Russians were pushing West towards the Battle of the Nations which settled matters in the East (both battles were 1813).

The little I do know of it is that Madison reckoned he could pick up Canada for the USA while the British Empire was distracted; but badly overestimated the skill of his Army, and underestimated the Canadians and the logistical requirements of his campaign which basically petered out when it ran out of food. Somewhere along the line we burned the White House and there was an odd little freshwater navy war on the Great Lakes where the US was just starting maybe to get the upper hand when peace was signed. Will have a read of the wiki article.

edit after reading the wiki article: Didn't have a clue about the Indian aspects of the war!
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gmc
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The (U.S.) War of 1812

Post by gmc »

A footnote in the Napoleonic war. Notable because the American frigates did quite well against the royal navy which was a bit annoying- they were bigger than the standard british frigate of the time - honour being restored when the Shannon defeated the Chesapeake. How many Americans knew we set fire to what became the whitehouse, as well as most of Washington actually, and the the rockets in the star spangled banner are british ones? You guys really bear a grudge don't you - I mean we set fire at one point or another every to capital city in europe but they don't write songs about it.
Clodhopper
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The (U.S.) War of 1812

Post by Clodhopper »

Torched London too, when we didn't have a foreign capital handy to burn. A nation of pyromaniacs.
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gmc
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The (U.S.) War of 1812

Post by gmc »

Clodhopper;1395398 wrote: Torched London too, when we didn't have a foreign capital handy to burn. A nation of pyromaniacs.


Wasn't there a nursery rhyme and TV series about it?
Clodhopper
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The (U.S.) War of 1812

Post by Clodhopper »

Jack and Jill

Set fire to the Hill

And got transported to Australia"?

Must have missed the tv series...?

edit: Or are you thinking of Eastenders?
The crowd: "Yes! We are all individuals!"

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