During the early 1800s, what is now the United States was not so back then. In the 1800s, the 13 colonies were not considered as one whole. They were considered 13 separate countries that had their own governments, laws, and even currency. After the constitution was ratified, the U.S. fought its first major war as a country, the War of 1812.
There were many causes of the War of 1812. In 1806, France and Britain were at war and tried to blockade American shipping. As a result of the blockade, the British seized 1000 American ships, and forced the American sailors to join the British Navy and France seized 500 American ships. As the Americans continued expanding west, the British gave Native Americans weapons so that they can fight against Americans. In June of 1812, James Madison declared war on Britain. Although there were not many political and economic changes, there was a major social change.
The U.S. Capitol after the burning of Washington d...
James Madison, Hamilton's major collaborator, late...
English: Uncle Sam recruiting poster.The War of 1812 made it possible for the country to unite as one and fight off the British together. Other results of the war were that the Americans agreed on a border between the United States and Canada, the 49th parallel.
The country also developed symbols that represented America as a whole. Francis Scott Key wrote the national anthem after being captured by the British. In the morning after his capture, Key saw the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry and wrote a poem about it. In 1931, Congress adopted it as the nation's national anthem. Uncle Sam was also a symbol of America. Meat-packing business owner, Samuel Wilson stamped his barrels of salted meat with U.S as the initials for the United States.
If the War of 1812 did not occur, we would not be the United States today. The...