The war of 1812

Causes of the War of 1812 1. During the first 15 years of the nineteenth century (1800s) Great Britain was at war with France. Known as the Napoleonic Wars. To get more sailors for its warships, Britain began to attack American ships and impress their men into the Royal Navy. 2. Britain was encouraging Aboriginal groups to work together and attack American settlers. 3. A group of American politicians, called the “War Hawks”, demanded the conquest of Canada which they had failed to achieve in the American Revolution.

Results of the War The War ended in 1815 with a stalemate. Neither the British or the Americans were a clear winner. The Americans had hoped the settlers of Upper Canada would support them in their invasion but they were wrong. The contributions of Canadian militia in the defense of Canada helped create an idea of Canadian identity because they were determined not to become American. The Aboriginal tribes that joined the British had hoped that they would be protected in the peace treaty with the United States, but the British did not do this. The American-Canadian border was agreed upon in 1818 and is mostly unchanged today.

Border changes from 1812 to 1818