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| American soldiers - War of 1812 |
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The War of 1812 was the second war of independence. The British
blocked the United States from maritime trade. The British claimed that the United States was helping the French in the war
between Britain and France. The British seizure of cargo and seamen compelled the President to declare war on Britain, June
18, 1812.
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| USS Chesapeake being captured by the British |
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In the early stages of the war, the American navy scored victories
in the Atlantic and on Lake Erie while Britain concentrated its military efforts on its ongoing war with France. But with
the defeat of Emperor Napoleon's armies in April 1814, Britain turned its full attention to the war against an ill-prepared
United States.
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| The flag that flew above Ft. McHenry in 1814 - 15 stars and 13 stripes |
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| War of 1812 survivors - picture taken in 1861 in Canada |
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