Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
War of 1812
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
1812, War of
Uncover how the new United States fought with the British over naval impressment and their history of conflict
The founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony Battle of the Thames Johnson, Col. Richard; Tecumseh United States Battle of Plattsburgh Bay, Sept. 11, 1814, in which a British squadron under George Downie was turned back by American forces led by Thomas Macdonough. War of 1812: Executive Mansion on fire G. Thompson's wood engraving of “The Burning of the City of Washington” during the War of 1812. At about 8 pm on the evening of Aug. 24, 1814, British troops under the command of Gen. Robert Ross marched into Washington, D.C., after routing hastily assembled American forces at Bladensburg, Md., earlier in the day. Encountering neither resistance nor any U.S. government officials—President Madison and his cabinet had fled to safety—the British quickly torched government buildings, including the Capitol and the Executive Mansion (now known as the White House). New Orleans, Battle of
For Students
1812, War of
War of 1812 summary
Quizzes
Louis IX of France (St. Louis), stained glass window of Louis IX during the Crusades. (Unknown location.)
World Wars
D-Day. American soldiers fire rifles, throw grenades and wade ashore on Omaha Beach next to a German bunker during D Day landing. 1 of 5 Allied beachheads est. in Normandy, France. The Normandy Invasion of World War II launched June 6, 1944.
A History of War
Encyclopaedia Britannica thistle graphic to be used with a Mendel/Consumer quiz in place of a photograph.
41 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular World History Quizzes
Related Questions
Read Next
Iraqi Army Soldiers from the 9th Mechanized Division learning to operate and maintain M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks at Besmaya Combat Training Center, Baghdad, Iraq, 2011. Military training. Iraq war. U.S. Army
8 Deadliest Wars of the 21st Century
Close up of a hand placing a ballot in a ballot box. Election vote voter voting
Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term?
Painting titled: "Washington as Statesman at the Constitutional Convention" oil on canvas by Junius Brutus Stearns, 1856; in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. (Note from museum) The painting represents George Washington's role as president of the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The normally reserved Washington urges passage of a new federal constitution, a draft of which he holds in his hands.
How Many of the Signers of the U.S. Constitution Were Enslavers?
Detail of a concept image of the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution. We the People
How Many People Signed the U.S. Constitution?
President's bingo. Guess and select to correct president based on images.
Britannica’s U.S. Presidents Bingo
Discover
An ancient egyptian hieroglyphic painted carving showing the falcon headed god Horus seated on a throne and holding a golden fly whisk. Before him are the Pharoah Seti and the goddess Isis. Interior wall of the temple to Osiris at Abydos, Egypt.
11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
Title: Senate Square, St. Petersburg, December 14, 1825: repression of the troop mutiny - watercolor by Carl Ivanovitch Kollman, 1825 depicts Decembrist uprising clashing with cavalry, with spectators watching. (new style December 26, 1825) Europe. Saint
8 of the Largest Empires in History
Baseball laying in the grass. Homepage blog 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics
10 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time
Thanksgiving Celebration Traditional Dinner Setting Food Concept
Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?
Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744-1855), founder of the house of Rothschild; lithograph by Friedrich Lieder, c. 1830.
Where Do Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories About the Rothschild Family Come From?
A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England
Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution
Rural Irish landscape, Sligo, Ireland.
Why Is Ireland Two Countries?

War of 1812: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/War-of-1812
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Date June 12, 1812 - December 24, 1814
Location Canada • United States
Participants United Kingdom • United States

Did You Know?

  • The Brirish captured Fort Mackinac in Michigan because its commander, Porter Hanks, wasn't informed that the war had begun.
  • Francis Scott Key wrote the Star-Spangled Banner after an American victory and borrowed the melody from an English drinking song, "To Anacreon in Heaven".
  • Americans suffered more causalties from diseases and accidents than from combat.
  • "Remember the Raisin" was an American battlecry dedicated to a military loss at River Raisin.

Photos and Videos

1812, War of
The founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Battle of the Thames
Johnson, Col. Richard; Tecumseh
United States
Battle of Plattsburgh Bay, Sept. 11, 1814, in which a British squadron under George Downie was turned back by American forces led by Thomas Macdonough.
War of 1812: Executive Mansion on fire
G. Thompson's wood engraving of “The Burning of the City of Washington” during the War of 1812. At about 8 pm on the evening of Aug. 24, 1814, British troops under the command of Gen. Robert Ross marched into Washington, D.C., after routing hastily assembled American forces at Bladensburg, Md., earlier in the day. Encountering neither resistance nor any U.S. government officials—President Madison and his cabinet had fled to safety—the British quickly torched government buildings, including the Capitol and the Executive Mansion (now known as the White House).
New Orleans, Battle of
US Brig Niagara
Uncover how the new United States fought with the British over naval impressment and their history of conflict
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Timeline

Battle of Queenston Heights
October 13, 1812
Battle of Lake Erie
Battle of Lake Erie
September 10, 1813
Johnson, Col. Richard; Tecumseh
Battle of the Thames
October 5, 1813
Battle of Châteauguay
Battle of Châteauguay
October 26, 1813
Battle of Crysler’s Farm
November 11, 1813
Battle of Chippewa
July 5, 1814
Battle of Lundy’s Lane
July 25, 1814
Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland
Battle of Baltimore
September 12, 1814 - September 14, 1814
Battle of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans
January 8, 1815

Key People

Asher B. Durand: portrait of James Madison
James Madison
president of United States
The founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Tecumseh
Shawnee chief
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
president of United States
Isaac Hull, detail from a pencil sketch by L. Pellegrin, 1841.
Isaac Hull
United States naval officer
Smith, Samuel
Samuel Smith
American politician
Jacob Jennings Brown.
Jacob Jennings Brown
United States general
Dearborn, Henry
Henry Dearborn
United States general and politician
David Porter, portrait by Charles Willson Peale, 1818–19
David Porter
United States naval officer
Prevost, Sir George, 1st Baronet
Sir George Prevost, 1st Baronet
British governor in chief of Canada
Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur
United States naval officer
Stephen Girard
Stephen Girard
American financier
Thomas Macdonough
Thomas Macdonough
United States naval officer
Jones, Jacob
Jacob Jones
United States naval officer
William Hull
United States general
James Lawrence
United States naval officer
William Bainbridge, engraving
William Bainbridge
United States naval officer
John Armstrong
American diplomat
Thomas Pinckney, engraving
Thomas Pinckney
American statesman
Laura Secord
Canadian loyalist
William Orlando Butler
United States soldier, lawyer, and public official

Causes and Effects

Causes
  • Skirmishes with Native Americans and British soldiers on the northwestern border of the U.S.
  • Export and import restrictions between the U.S. and Great Britain during the Napoleonic Wars hurt the American economy
  • The practice during the Napoleonic Wars of the British Navy accosting American merchant ships and seizing alleged deserters who were actually U.S. citizens
Effects
  • Britain's influence among the northwestern Indians ended, leading to unchecked American expansion into that region
  • Canada remained British and eventually developed its own national identity, partly from pride over repulsing U.S. invasions
  • Despite the U.S. achieving none of its objectives during the war, a surge of post-war patriotism inspired American to pursue national goals
  • The arbitration clauses in the Treaty of Ghent that ended the war established methods for dealing with outstanding disagreements that could be adapted to changes in both American and British governments, sowing the seeds of the lasting Anglo-American comity
  • U.S. victory in the concurrent Creek War opened a large part of the American south for settlement, leading to events that persuaded Spain to cede Florida to the U.S. in 1821

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
Louis IX of France (St. Louis), stained glass window of Louis IX during the Crusades. (Unknown location.)
World Wars
Louis IX of France (St. Louis), stained glass window of Louis IX during the Crusades. (Unknown location.)
World Wars
D-Day. American soldiers fire rifles, throw grenades and wade ashore on Omaha Beach next to a German bunker during D Day landing. 1 of 5 Allied beachheads est. in Normandy, France. The Normandy Invasion of World War II launched June 6, 1944.
A History of War
Encyclopaedia Britannica thistle graphic to be used with a Mendel/Consumer quiz in place of a photograph.
41 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular World History Quizzes
List
Iraqi Army Soldiers from the 9th Mechanized Division learning to operate and maintain M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks at Besmaya Combat Training Center, Baghdad, Iraq, 2011. Military training. Iraq war. U.S. Army
8 Deadliest Wars of the 21st Century