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It is a war that nobody except some Mid-Westerns wanted. Britain had already sent a group of diplomats to make offers to resolve the tension. The US declared th

by nickik 6y ago

It is a war that nobody except some Mid-Westerns wanted. Britain had already sent a group of diplomats to make offers to resolve the tension. The US declared the war before they got there. The Brits fought the war with the units they didn't need for the much more important war with Napoleon. That American don't remember their capital being taken and their most important government building burnt down by another nation is kind of funny however. And that's why nobody remember it, no movies about it. Then the US spent the next 50 years fortifying their East coast to prevent it happening again those forts are where the Civil war eventually started.

ghc 6y ago
Pretty much every child in the US learns about the war of 1812 and the burning of the white house. Many 8th grade history textbooks even perpetuate the myth that it's painted white to cover the damage from the burning. But it's no surprise that 14 year olds might not remember what they are taught in Early American History into adulthood.
- ghaff 6y ago
  I think you're overstating the degree to which the War of 1812 is remembered by most people. I'm relatively familiar with American history and I could tell you it involved the burning of the White House, the writing of the national anthem, a border dispute with Canada, and something about impressing American sailors. But that's about it.
  - ghc 6y ago
    I certainly wasn't claiming most people remember the war of 1812 -- I was just stating that it's not as if the events are glossed over or not taught in school. It is well covered in early American history curriculum; it just gets taught during the peak of puberty, which is pretty unfortunate. In my experience, most people remember a few fragments like you do, and particularly famous events from the war (old ironsides, burning of the white house, carrying out the portrait of Washington to save it) might not even be associated with that war in people's minds. Most people seem to erroneously associate many of those events with the revolutionary war, similar to how they often associate the Constitution with the revolutionary war even though it came later.
- disgrunt 6y ago
  It's not even the same building. The exterior walls survived the fire, but the first White House was torn down and rebuilt. Apparently the British took everything they could, all that survived was a painting of Washington and a jewelry box. [0] [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House#Early_use,_the_1814_fire,_and_rebuilding https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House#Early_use,_the_181...
- nickik 6y ago
  Its pretty well known that people don't remember the waste majority from school if you don't actively test them.
geuis 6y ago
> That American don't remember their capital being taken and their most important government building burnt down by another nation is kind of funny however. And that's why nobody remember it, no movies about it. Going to beg to differ. We learned about this in elementary and then in more detail in middle and high school. Don’t know why so many commenters seem to think the 1812 war isn’t taught in US schools. Conversely what I find odd is that the American revolution doesn’t seem to be taught in British schools at any length. I’ve talked to multiple British friends who have almost know knowledge of it and say it’s not taught. I get that the UK has a long history, but losing your biggest set of colonies in a revolution that go on to become the most powerful country in the world seems like a big deal. Something worth spending at least a little time on in public education.
- bawolff 6y ago
  > but losing your biggest set of colonies in a revolution I mean, its not the biggest, and they weren't anywhere near the most powerful country at the time (which is what matters geopolitically) America is pretty obsesssed with the american revolution. Other countries aren't going to be. Why would they?

by nickik 6y ago

ghc 6y ago

Pretty much every child in the US learns about the war of 1812 and the burning of the white house. Many 8th grade history textbooks even perpetuate the myth that it's painted white to cover the damage from the burning. But it's no surprise that 14 year olds might not remember what they are taught in Early American History into adulthood.

ghaff 6y ago
I think you're overstating the degree to which the War of 1812 is remembered by most people. I'm relatively familiar with American history and I could tell you it involved the burning of the White House, the writing of the national anthem, a border dispute with Canada, and something about impressing American sailors. But that's about it.
- ghc 6y ago
  I certainly wasn't claiming most people remember the war of 1812 -- I was just stating that it's not as if the events are glossed over or not taught in school. It is well covered in early American history curriculum; it just gets taught during the peak of puberty, which is pretty unfortunate. In my experience, most people remember a few fragments like you do, and particularly famous events from the war (old ironsides, burning of the white house, carrying out the portrait of Washington to save it) might not even be associated with that war in people's minds. Most people seem to erroneously associate many of those events with the revolutionary war, similar to how they often associate the Constitution with the revolutionary war even though it came later.
disgrunt 6y ago
It's not even the same building. The exterior walls survived the fire, but the first White House was torn down and rebuilt. Apparently the British took everything they could, all that survived was a painting of Washington and a jewelry box. [0] [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House#Early_use,_the_1814_fire,_and_rebuilding https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House#Early_use,_the_181...
nickik 6y ago
Its pretty well known that people don't remember the waste majority from school if you don't actively test them.

geuis 6y ago

> That American don't remember their capital being taken and their most important government building burnt down by another nation is kind of funny however. And that's why nobody remember it, no movies about it. Going to beg to differ. We learned about this in elementary and then in more detail in middle and high school. Don’t know why so many commenters seem to think the 1812 war isn’t taught in US schools. Conversely what I find odd is that the American revolution doesn’t seem to be taught in British schools at any length. I’ve talked to multiple British friends who have almost know knowledge of it and say it’s not taught. I get that the UK has a long history, but losing your biggest set of colonies in a revolution that go on to become the most powerful country in the world seems like a big deal. Something worth spending at least a little time on in public education.

bawolff 6y ago
> but losing your biggest set of colonies in a revolution I mean, its not the biggest, and they weren't anywhere near the most powerful country at the time (which is what matters geopolitically) America is pretty obsesssed with the american revolution. Other countries aren't going to be. Why would they?