In June of 1812 the United States declared war on Britain. This declaration was the result of almost thirty years of stormy relations between the two nations. It both surprised the British and chagrined many Americans who saw it as a foolish undertaking. This was not because of there being too few reasons to go to war with Britain. It was simply that the United States had deliberately avoided war for so long that when she …showed first 75 words of 964 total…

…showed last 75 words of 964 total…defeat on the British at New Orleans. Americans heard of Jackson's great victory and the Treaty of Ghent at about the same time. Once again the British had been successfully resisted, and a surge of national self-confidence swept the United States. A war that had begun with the object of defending American commerce and vindicating republican independence was viewed in the end as a victory only because British attacks on the United States had failed.