When listing major American wars, the Revolutionary War, the Spanish-American War, the Civil War, WWI, and WWII, we usually leave out the War of 1812. We all learned about the War of 1812 in school, only to never hear about it again. Those damn British came back and burned the White House down. But the War of 1812 has more of a significant historical meaning than many people give it credit for.

With Britain and France at war, America continued to trade with the French, and as a neutral country had every right to do so. Britain thought different and introduced trade restrictions. Whether out of jealousy or anger the British planned to stop all American trade with France. Ironically, by the time Americans declared war, the British had already repealed the trade restrictions. At this point our young nation had to defend its honor, and fight Britain, again.

War of 1812: What Was Really Won?

After two and a half years, and 15,000 American lives lost the American were victorious, but what did we really win? The War of 1812 paved the way for many greater things in American history. With a victory sealed, the US was finally recognized and respected as a sovereign nation. With the French and British gone from the continent America was free to move westward. Manifest Destiny would soon take hold, and everything that came with it. It also allowed James Madison to declare America’s sphere of influence, in the Monroe Doctrine, which included all of the Americas.

With westward mobility also came the mobility of slavery, and the fight over “slave or free” state would lead the nation towards civil war. Without the victory against the British and the ability to move west who knows how the country, confined to east of the Mississippi, would have turned out.

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