Which countries fought the War of 1812 and which side won?

Answer 1

The United States and Great Britain were the countries. Arguments persist about which side got the worst of it, but after two years the war was called off without a winner by the Treaty of Ghent in 1814.

Still, the continued existence of Canada tells you who won. The "War Hawks" in Congress saw a chance to forcibly annex Canada, with Jefferson calling it "merely a matter of marching". They stampeded President Madison into declaring war, and launching an attack on their neighbour.

The New England states were so astonished and annoyed at this plan that they openly discussed secession from the Union, and there were riots in Boston. But to no avail: American invasion forces attacked both Upper and Lower Canada, which were defended by much smaller forces: about 5200 British troops, in total, and three times as many natives and Canadian militia. In a series of battles, the Americans were decisively defeated, and retreated back across the border, and beyond, surrendering Detroit, Buffalo, and Fort Dearborn (Chicago).

The British took the offensive, and captured Washington, burning the White House. But the British had just beaten Napoleon in a much, much larger war, and although that freed up hundreds of thousands of British troops to be shipped to North America, the British were weary of war, and agreed to talks.

After the talks produced peace treaty, the Americans won a battle, at New Orleans, and lost one, at Fort Bowyers, and some American newspapers saw that as a US victory.

But the goal of capturing Canada eluded them; in fact, defeating the US invasion got Canada's very separate French and English speaking cultures discussing nationhood, something that finally happened in 1867...and probably would never have happened but for the victory in the War of 1812.