| Summary: | <p class="first" id="d1344171e80">
The War of 1812 may have been a small and inconclusive war, but it had a profound
and lasting impact of all the belligerents. The war may be largely forgotten, but
it left a huge legacy that is still evident today. Wars can best be measured by their
consequences, and the legacy of this war was both multifaceted and lasting. The conflict
shaped both the United States and Canada as well as their relationship with Great
Britain for nearly a century thereafter. It helps to explain how the Anglo-American
alliance originated and why the British welcomed the Pax Americana in the twentieth
century, as well as why Canada never joined the American Union and why American expansion
after 1815 aimed south and west rather than north. It was during the War of 1812 that
the great Shawnee leader Tecumseh earned his reputation, Laura Secord became famous,
and Andrew Jackson began his rise to the presidency. Its impact on American culture
was also far reaching and produced ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’, Uncle Sam and ‘Old
Ironsides’, amongst other symbols of United States nationhood.
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