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.
INTERESTING BOOKS ABOUT
THE WAR OF 1812
The War of 1812: A SHORT HISTORY
The War of 1812: A FORGOTTEN CONFLICT
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