The war of 1812 between the United States and the British had an ambiguous ending for the two, but it still played an essential role in U.S. and Canadian history. Since Americans did not conquer Canada, the outcome of this war was favorable for Canadians because it laid the foundation for this country’s independence (Hickey 5). The British preferred to forget about the war, but the United States, armed with some important lessons, started its path to becoming a global power.
The 1812’s war was famous for the U.S. army’s resilience and some critical mistakes of the British. This war happened in the midst of the Anglo-French conflict for the position of dominating power. It was caused by the fact that 15,000 American sailors were forced into the British Royal Navy from 1793 to 1812 (Hickey 2). However, the U.S. Army was small and not well trained at that time; hence, they could not oppose the British navy in the sea, they decided to attack Canadian borders (Hickey 3). Although the beginning of the war was disastrous for Americans because of a lack of preparedness and cooperation, the final battles were successful, resulting in the British defeat. Indeed, the lesson learned by Americans was that building a strong army should be done during the period of peace (Hickey 8). The conflict ended with the Anglo-American treaty, demilitarization of Canadian borders, and the U.S. expansion in West Florida (Hickey 10-11). Lastly, the war of 1812 allowed the United States to reestablish its sovereignty and demonstrate its potential to oppose the biggest military power of that time.
To summarize, the war of 1812 was not significant for British history but changed the course of the United States and Canada. Although American soldiers had poor military training and leaders lacked cooperation, which caused initial losses, later battles showed that the U.S. army possessed tenacity. Overall, this historical event allowed the U.S. territorial expansion and contributed to the rise of its political power due to increased attention on preparing a strong army, always ready for war.
Work Cited
Hickey, Donald R. “The Legacy of 1812: How a Little War Shaped the Transatlantic World.” London Journal of Canadian Studies, 2021.