Question 5: How and Why did the War end? Who Won/Lost the most? What do the Participants think?
The War of 1812 was officially ended by the Treaty of Ghent in 1815. By the end of 1814, both sides had achieved most of their military goals, and were in a stalemate position. They sent delegations to the peaceful zone of Ghent, Belgium to negotiate a treaty. The British wanted a First Nations Barrier State in the American Northwest territory. The Americans rejected this, ultimately destroying the First Nations’ hope of achieving their goal. Eventually, both sides came up with a treaty that everyone could agree on, and it was signed. However, the treaty had to be ratified before the war ended, and several months passed before that happened because it took a long time for the treaty to reach Canada. Alas, before the ratification, the British burnt the Whitehouse, and the Americans defeated the British at the Battle of Plattsburgh. By February 17, 1815, both sides had ratified the treaty and the war was finally over.
The consequences for both sides were pretty serious. Overall, there were 1,600 British killed and 3,679 wounded, along with 2,260 Americans killed and another 4,505 wounded. Britain added 23 million pounds to their national debt, and America added 82 million dollars to their national debt. Also, at the end, 3,000 American slaves were freed.
The British Loyalists saw the War as a victory, as they defended their borders consistently. John Strachan, Bishop of Toronto, created a myth that it was actually the Militia and Citizens that fought the war and saved Canada.
The Americans did an overall bad job at the war. They weren’t prepared in the least, and didn’t really do things in an organized manner. However, if America declared war on Canada again, America would win by far.
In a recent poll across Canada, 37% took the war as a British Victory, 9% say that the US won, 15% say that it was a tie, and 39% (Mostly young people and teenagers) don’t know enough to have an opinion.
Historians have very complex views on the war, but overall, they think nobody really won the war. However, they also think that the First Nations lost, since they didn’t achieve any of their goals in the end, and had a stable intertribal confederacy broken with the death of Tecumseh. In addition, the First Nations people were stated to be an “undesirable burden” by Britain after the war. After the war, there was an “Era of good Feelings” between Britain and the US, which resulted in the great and strong friendship they hold today.
The War of 1812 was officially ended by the Treaty of Ghent in 1815. By the end of 1814, both sides had achieved most of their military goals, and were in a stalemate position. They sent delegations to the peaceful zone of Ghent, Belgium to negotiate a treaty. The British wanted a First Nations Barrier State in the American Northwest territory. The Americans rejected this, ultimately destroying the First Nations’ hope of achieving their goal. Eventually, both sides came up with a treaty that everyone could agree on, and it was signed. However, the treaty had to be ratified before the war ended, and several months passed before that happened because it took a long time for the treaty to reach Canada. Alas, before the ratification, the British burnt the Whitehouse, and the Americans defeated the British at the Battle of Plattsburgh. By February 17, 1815, both sides had ratified the treaty and the war was finally over.
The consequences for both sides were pretty serious. Overall, there were 1,600 British killed and 3,679 wounded, along with 2,260 Americans killed and another 4,505 wounded. Britain added 23 million pounds to their national debt, and America added 82 million dollars to their national debt. Also, at the end, 3,000 American slaves were freed.
The British Loyalists saw the War as a victory, as they defended their borders consistently. John Strachan, Bishop of Toronto, created a myth that it was actually the Militia and Citizens that fought the war and saved Canada.
The Americans did an overall bad job at the war. They weren’t prepared in the least, and didn’t really do things in an organized manner. However, if America declared war on Canada again, America would win by far.
In a recent poll across Canada, 37% took the war as a British Victory, 9% say that the US won, 15% say that it was a tie, and 39% (Mostly young people and teenagers) don’t know enough to have an opinion.
Historians have very complex views on the war, but overall, they think nobody really won the war. However, they also think that the First Nations lost, since they didn’t achieve any of their goals in the end, and had a stable intertribal confederacy broken with the death of Tecumseh. In addition, the First Nations people were stated to be an “undesirable burden” by Britain after the war. After the war, there was an “Era of good Feelings” between Britain and the US, which resulted in the great and strong friendship they hold today.