War of812 2

War of 1812 armed conflict between the U.S. and Great Britain, 1812-15. It was partly occasioned by U.S. insistence on neutral shipping rights during the Franco-British hostilities of the FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY WARS and the wars of NAPOLEON I. British impressment of sailors and confiscation of U.S. ships were causes of strong anti-British sentiment. The outbreak of hostilities stemmed from clashes in the West between American frontiersmen and the British and their indigenous allies …

…of the Thames, Plattsburgh, and FORT MCHENRY, and the British entered into serious negotiations to end the hostilities. The Treaty of GHENT (signed Dec. 24, 1814) brought the war to an indecisive end. But the Americans had a final triumph. On Jan. 14, 1815, after the treaty had been signed, Andrew JACKSON's troops defeated the British decisively at the battle of NEW ORLEANS. The war ushered in a period of great American nationalism and increasing isolation from European affairs.