captainwalrus wrote:I think you could make a decent map of it, but from what we learned in history it was just a bunch of mistakes then Andrew Jackson kicking ass after it was over.
Yeah, well learning history is a matter of unlearning what the past teacher taught you to be true.
I think 1812 was a rather exciting war. It didn't produce mistakes, but rather it never produced a decisive outcome.
Jackson's tremendous victory in New Orleans was a major triumph. But let's be honest, he wasn't exactly fighting Prussians. Mastery of the waters is Britain's forte, but Perry took the Royal Navy to battle on Lake Erie... and won.
But it doesn't matter, because the British sacked the capitol and burn it to the ground.
The Niagara region saw some very intense fighting. On the Canadian side of the river the British had lined up forts with all guns facing the United States and the US did just the same.
Thomas Jefferson believed at the start of the war that what had been started in 1776 would be finished and Canada brought into the Union of former British Colonies.
British leaders believed it their chance to finally close the brief interruption to their undisputed domination of the continent. A lot was riding on the war for both sides, none of which was resolved. As a consequence the unresolved issues between America and Britain would go on unaddressed until the first world war. Britain always feared that the Americans would make the grab for Canada at any time, especially during the Civil War where they could cover their losses in southern states. In the 1890s the US almost went to war with Britain over the same basic issues unresolved by 1812.
The War of 1812 also needs to be viewed in a global context. Consider the fact that Britain was fighting in Europe, that Napoleon was invading Russia, ect. The War of 1812, as we call it, was part of a World War.
It's not that it was a series of mistakes, it's just no issues between Britain and its former colonies were solved. Plenty occurred and I'ms ure it would be exciting enough for a map on CC. Since 13 Colonies is coming to its close, it might be something to consider.