The War of 1812 was a war between Britain and the United States fought primarily in Upper Canada. It had many causes, few which involved British North America. The results of the war include the fact that there was no clear winner or loser among them. The only real losers in the situation were the Natives in the region. They were driven out of their lands and customs. None of the borders was changed by the war, though many attempts were made. The Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war, did nothing to advance the state of the countries. It went so far as to end the war and put things back the way that they were, but the main causes of the conflict were not addressed or dealt with. In order to evaluate the significance of this war, Canadian victories and losses, as well as overall results, must be analyzed. Most Canadian victories came in the form of preventing American attack from being successful. This is the main Canadian reason for believing they won this war. An example of this occurred on 12 July 1812, when General Hull and his troops crossed into Canada. Their invasion was promptly met and turned away by opposing forces. This also happened in the Battle of Raisin River on 21 January 1813. American General Winchester surrendered to British Colonel Proctor, losing 500 prisoners. Perhaps the most significant of Canadian victories was the burning of Washington. When the British forces won the battle of Bladensburg, it “opened the door to Washington”. The Capitol Building and the White House were destroyed but luckily, for the Americans, torrential rains put out fires in the rest of the city. To the Canadians from 1812-1814, this was reason enough to believe that they were victorious. To Canadians now it seems a shallow way to claim triumph. Notable role models were born out of this war for Canadians. Sir Isaac Brock was a prominent figure. He was “Commander of Forces in Upper Canada” and later added Administrator to his title. Being engulfed by politics proved too much for Brock, who left to join forces in the march upon Detroit (August 1812). He led troops to victory here, but lost his life in the Battle of Queenston Heights in October 1812. To this day, Brock is well renowned throughout Canada as a fearless leader and important to the history of the country. Another... ... middle of paper ... ...sp;Canada: Copp Clark Ltd., 1998 Feldmeth, Greg. Key Events and Causes: War of 1812, 31 March 1998, http://home.earthlink.net~gfeldmeth/chart/1812.html (21 October 1999, 5 November 1999) Filewood, Alan. “National Battles: Canadian Monumental Drama and the Investiture of History.” In Modern Drama. 38. (Spring 1995) 71-86 Stanley, George F.G. The War of 1812 Land Operations. Canada: MacMillian of Canada, 1983 Turner, Wesley. The War of 1812. The War That Both Sides Won. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1990 Zaslow, Morris. The Defended Border, Upper Canada and the War of 1812. Toronto: MacMillian of Canada, 1983 The War of 1812- Causes of the War, “n.d.” http://www2.andrews.edu/~downm.causes.html (26 October 1999, 13 November 1999) The War of 1812, Major Battles, “n.d” http://multied.com/1812.html (18 October 1999, 5 November 1999)
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Show MoreThe years since the Battle of Vimy Ridge may have passed quickly, but the legacy of the Canadians whose accomplishments were great in that pivotal First World War battle lives on. Many people claim to this day that Canada came of age as a country on those hard April days in 1917. At first, through the meticulous planning of the battle, the world saw a nation capable of working together and making decisions as a team. Afterwards, with the range of technical and tactical innovations involved in the attack, the world saw a strong nation unafraid to protect and defend. In the end, through great sacrifice the world bore witness to the birth of the Canadian legacy. To conclude that the nation was born on April 9th 1917, on the Artois plains is to deny over three centuries of history during which the ancestors of millions of Canadians devoted their lives to building the country. This is why the Battle of Vimy Ridge wasn’t the birth of Canada itself, but the birth of our legacy- the ‘true’ origin of our nation.
A century ago, Canada was under control by the British Empire. The battles we fought the treaties we signed and the disputes we solved all helped us gain independence from our mother country “Britain”. Canadians fought a long battle protecting others, and from these battles we gained our peaceful reputation and our independence from Britain. Canada became a nation on July, 1st 1867. Although we were an independent country, our affairs and treaties were all still signed by Britain. In the next years Canada would establish its own government, and lead its own affairs. Many important events led to Canada’s independence, one of the earliest signals that Canada wanted to establish autonomy was the Chanak affair of 1921. In addition the battle of Normandy, which occurred on June 6 1944, contributed to the autonomy of Canada. The Suez Canal Crisis, which took place in the year 1956, earned Canada a place in the media spotlight, displaying Canada as a peaceful country that deserves the right to be independent. One of the final steps that aided with Canada’s independence from Britain was the Canada Act of 1982. Independence from Britain steadily increased throughout the 20th century because of political decisions made in Canada.
Since before the First World War, Canadians have had a long history of weakness, cowardice, and insipidity. Seen as feeble and insignificant, Canada had often been overlooked by the European superpowers; until April 9th 1917. On this day, Canadian Corps completed the task of capturing the once German-held Vimy Ridge. Canadian success is attributed to their communication and precise planning that allowed them to stay one step ahead of the enemy. Canadians created new and innovative tactics that made for a more efficient offensive line. Also, the battle resulted in Canada’s autonomy, nationalism, and patriotism that changed the course of Canadian history forever. The battle of Vimy Ridge is considered the defining moment for Canada as it emerged from under the shadow of Britain and for the first time, felt capable of greatness.
Graves, Donald E., and John R. Grodzinski. Fighting for Canada: seven battles, 1758-1945. Toronto: Robin Brass Studio ;, 2000.
Although the American Revolution obviously had an impact on the American colonies, it can also be said that due to the war, a nation up north was created; Canada. The settlement of the Loyalist after their exile made a nation who relied on neutrality rather than war. Some can argue that the very neutrality gives Canada its unique attitude. The settlement also brought forth a new culture specific to this new nation. With the help of the British military and Simcoe’s planning, Ontario was developed. The British did loss the colonies of America but gained the nation of Canada.
The Confederation act of 1867 without question has had a major influence on the status of contemporary Canada. It has helped shape Canada into one of the worlds most politically and economically powerful countries; a country that is strong, independent, and united. There was a series of events which led to the confederation of Canada, some which are more significant than others. However, I believe that despite the significance of events such as the British encouragement of uniting its North American colonies, the central and key reason for confederation was the fear of potential American (Yankee) inhabitance (whether by persuasion or invasion) of the divided and vast British North American colonies, and the way that the “Fathers of Confederation” were able to take advantage of this situation and persuade reluctant colonies to join Confederation. A strong and united nation could not be easily invaded or bought. These essential factors will be discussed in the paragraphs to come.
The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and Great Britain from June 1812 to the spring of 1815 (Findling, 15). When the war began, it was being fought by the Americans to address their grievances toward the British, though toward the end, the issues eventually were unjustified and reasons manipulated. There is no single cause for the War of 1812 but instead, several related causes, such the influence of the War Hawks, the impressments as well as the Embargo and Non-Intercourse acts, and the British's possible interference with the Indian Nations, and land ownership disputes between the Natives and Americans, ultimately leading to the Battle of Tippecanoe.
Canada was also a major player in helping many issues during the war effort. Through the use of many organizations, either located in Canada or in other parts around the world, many Canadians aided in the many problems that occurred because of the war. These contributions included fighting the...
The War of 1812 began June 12th, 1812 after American President James Madison signed the declaration of war on Great Britain. Americans declared war for a multitude of reasons, “the British had been in an economic block with France, hostile First Nations along the great lakes, and the involuntary enlistment of American seamen into the Royal British Navy” (history.com). The American government had experienced success with the war against Britain and made advancements to formulate a new plan to take control of Canada, which ultimately failed.
Bennet, P.; Cornelius J.; and Brune, N. Canada: A North American Nation. Second Edition ed. Canada: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 1995.
The War of 1812 was a war in which the United States took on Great Britain, the most powerful nation in the world, for the first time since the American revolution. The conflict, which would have an enormous impact on the future of the country, officially ended on February 17th, 1815, with the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent. The end of the war of 1812 gave rise to a desire for unity among Americans and a strong sense of national pride; this time in American history was labeled as the Era of Good Feelings. There were several factors that led to the start of the war including British attempts to restrict American trade with France who they were at war with; the Royal Navy’s forceful recruitment of American seamen; Britain’s
The War of 1812 was the nation’s first declared militarized conflict that began June 18, 1812 and continued strong to February 18, 1815. The conflict lasted two and half years and was fought by the United States and the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.(Upton) The war was frequently seen as a series of Napoleonic wars due to it being caused by problems related to that war. The war itself even solved many that had still remained from the American revolutionary war. The United States declared war for a number of reasons to include, the impressment of American sailors into the royal navy, British support of Indian tribes against American expansion and outrage over insults to national honor after humiliations on the high seas. (Walker)
When the Great War broke out, Canada initially joined to help support Britain and show their loyalty to the British Empire. Evidently, Canada gained and contributed immensely to the war effort. Canada’s most important contribution to the World War 1 is the battle of Vimy Ridge. This is demonstrated by examining the new tactics and techniques used in the battlefield, Canada accomplishing more in 4 days than the French and British in two years, and finally, Vimy led Canadians to lead further assaults in many other crucial battles.
The War of 1812 was a small war with big consequences and is often overlooked, or considered unimportant. But the War of 1812 is an important part of our history because of not only its consequences, but the events that lead to its declaration. From Napoleon excluding British goods from “Fortress Europe” to the Battle of New Orleans, there are many issues and events of importance that impacted later history. For example, “Jefferson's attempt at "peaceful coercion" resulted in economic disaster for merchants (Feldmeth 1).” in the Embargo Act. In the following essay, I am going to discuss the causes and consequences of the War of 1812 and their importance.
Thompson, John Herd, and Mark Paul Richard. "Canadian History in North American Context." In Canadian studies in the new millennium. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008. 37-64.