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Another name for the war of 1812 was the "The Second War For Independence".

"Mr. Madison's War" is a lesser known name, but at least more accurate, in that President Madison was stampeded into attacking a neighbour.

The problem with calling it "The Second War For Independence" is that term implies that Britain started the war, and had any intention of reversing the 35-year-old revolution.

The Americans, with a 20-to-1 advantage in population over the territory of Canada, believed that forcibly annexing Canada would be, in the memorable words of Thomas Jefferson, "a mere matter of marching." Not so much, as it turns out.

At the heart of Canada's defence was a small core of British regulars, with three times as many Canadian militia and natives. While the defenders were vastly outnumbered, they scored a series of decisive victories that sent the invaders retreating back over the border and beyond: Detroit, Buffalo, and Fort Dearborn (Chicago) were taken.

The British counter-offensive took place on the ground of the original invaders: the British took the coast of Maine, took the capital, Washington, and famously, burned down the White House. The Royal Navy's blockade of American ports devastated the US economy. There were some American victories on US ground, but something major was about to change.

Having just defeated Napoleon after a much larger, much bloodier, much longer war, the British, (having fought off the invasion of Canada with 5,200 regulars,) suddenly had close to 100,000 battle-hardened troops who could be shipped immediately to North America to finish the job, and, if they chose, take back the colonies.

They didn't. War weary after that bloody European conflict, and having never even seriously discussed using those huge numbers to reclaim the US, they agreed to return to the old borders.

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12y ago

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