Background Information
A painting of the British burning the first White House
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The war of 1812 was a two and a half year international conflict that ended in 1815. Fought between between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, its North American colonies(present day Canada) and its Native American allies. This war solved many problems that were caused by the American Revolution, such as the continental system and borders in North America. The main reasons were for the United States to stop French and British trade restrictions, as well as, annex the parts of modern-day Canada. The United States declared the war on June 18th, 1812. The victor of the war is unclear but America won many key battles at the end of the war, thus starting the era of good feelings. The only loser of the War were the Natives that were pushed further back towards the rest.
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A painted poster used to get public support for the war.
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The War of 1812's influence on Westward Expansion
The War of 1812 secured American borders and during the war America defeated Britain's Native American allies, pushing them out of the 'Old Northwest', regions of Ohio and upper Mississippi. Also the Indian removal act of 1830 removed nearly all Natives from the southeast regions, present day Arkansas and Oklahoma, in the journey known as the trail of tears. This act was the result of the war of 1812. The war of 1812 subsequently allowed the Louisiana purchase, and allowed the United States to remove natives and continue to expand into their former territory. Because so many Natives fought on the side of the British in the War of 1812 the relationship between the Natives and Americans became bitter. Natives also helped defend modern day Canada from the United States many march attempts to take that land which led to the subsequent failure of those marches.