So What's the Big Deal About the War 1812 Anyway? Celebrating the bicentennial of a Forgotten War

Not to be over shadowed by the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War, the War of 1812 is commemorating its bicentennial, 2012-2015. The War of 1812 is referred to as the forgotten war, despite its role in shaping the political boundaries of North America and providing some of the most iconic moments for the young American Nation trying to make its way in the world.

Here are a few of those iconic moments to explore during the 200^th anniversary of the War of 1812.

USS Constitution

Old Iron Sides - The road to the War of 1812 was laid by the impressment of American sailors into service for the British navy. The most powerful naval force in the world, the British navy, would stop American vessels and force any sailor with a British accent into service. Unacceptable to America, this violation of civil freedom was a threat to national sovereignty. As a result war was declared.  Some of the most memorable battles from this war took place on the high seas, where the U.S. Navy took its place on the world stage with startling victories. The USS Constitution earned the nickname Old Iron Sides for its heroic actions during the war and remains one of the oldest active duty navy vessels in the world. Because of this, the War of 1812 is credited as the birth of the U.S. Navy.

Canadian Heroes of the War of 1812
Sir Isaac Brock, Tecumseh,
Laura Secord, & Charles-Michel de Salaberry 

The Border with Canada – While war raged on the high seas, many of the land battles during the War of 1812 took place in and around the Great Lakes with our neighbor to the North, Canada.  At the time of the conflict Canada was still under British rule. Many Americans had grand visions of territorial expansion fueled by a desire to kicking the British off the North American continent. Bloody frontier battles raged along the Great Lakes as American forces invaded Canada in a quest for international supremacy of the region.

Given these historic events, Canada views and interpretations of the history of the War of 1812 vary differently from the United States.  North of the border, the War of 1812 is viewed as a war for Canadian sovereignty and is an important part of their national identity. Parks Canada protects many of the historic sites and battlefields associated with the war. They also provide unique insights into what the war means to Canadian people.

The Battle of New Orleans

Old Hickory - Andrew Jackson – Long before he was famous for being on the twenty-dollar bill, Andrew Jackson established his reputation as a military and political leader during the War of 1812.  Renowned for his hard fighting and hard riding, he earned the nickname old hickory. Oddly enough, Andrew Jackson’s most memorable moment during the war occurred after the signing of the peace treaty on December 25, 1814. Fought on January 8, 1815, the last battle of the War of 1812 was the famed battle of New Orleans. This proved to be a major American victory and would propel Andrew Jackson to the White House. The Battle of New Orleans was later immortalized in song by folk singer Johnny Horton, and even won a song of the year Grammy in 1959.

The Star Spangled Banner from on Display at the Smithsonian Museum 

The Star Spangled Banner - Perhaps the most memorable moment of the War of 1812 was the writing of the Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key. Guarding the entrance to Baltimore Harbor, Fort McHenry was of strategic importance and the key to capturing Baltimore, one of the larger cities in America at the time. The British Navy unloaded on the fort with rockets red glare. Despite their best efforts, the British were not able to take it and eventually withdrew. But, not before providing the inspiration to France Scott Key who penned the immortal words in a poem entitled, “The Defense of Fort McHenry”.  “ Oh say can you see…” and the rest as they say is history.

Fort McHenry

Despite its less than spectacular end, and little fan fare, the War of 1812 provided many iconic moments in American history that are worth exploring during the bicentennial of this forgotten war.

What are your thoughts on this often forgotten war? 

Overview of the War of 1812

6 Ways to Connect with the Civil War: Commemorating 150 Years of the Civil War Legacy

Here are six ways to commemorate the 15oth anniversary of the American Civil War.

Beglan O'Brian 

1. Make a New Friend on Facebook -  Although the cannons stopped booming nearly 150 years ago, the lives of many iconic heroes of the Civil War have found new life in social media. Now you too can count Ulysses S. Grant or Robert E. Lee among your friends on Facebook. Or send a friend request to: Beglan O’Brian, Civil War Reporter for up to date reporting from the war front. This avatar, created by the National Park Service, provides daily updates and correspondence on the progress of the Civil War.

Comic Genius of Buster Keaton

2.Watch a Movie -  Hollywood is notorious for taking a few liberties with historic facts. Still, the Civil War has often been the subject of many a Hollywood director. Since the earliest days of silent film, the Civil War has inspired such movies as The General staring silent film start Buster Keaton, and the notorious Birth of the Nation, with highly-charged racist undertones that were prevalent at the time of its making. For a more contemporary look at the complexities of the Civil War watch Glory, which focuses on the story of the African American 54^th Volunteer Massachusetts Regiment. Another fantastic and more recent film of note, Lincoln, explores the politics and tension that occurred during the passing of the 13^th Amendment. All of these movies provide a unique window into how different generations have understood the War between the States. 

For All You Arm Chair Generals -Civil War History at the Touch of a Button

3. Download an App  - When it comes to the Civil War, there is an app for that! The Civil War Trust has developed smart phone apps for nearly all the major battlefields of the war. These apps provide historic images, battlefield maps, and informative videos in the palm of your hands. The history channel has also developed a great civil war app called The Civil War Today that will connect users to historic newspaper articles about historic events.

4. Save a Battlefield -  From the 25^th to the 50^th anniversary of the Civil War, veterans worked hard to memorialize the key battlefields of the war. This golden age of battlefield protection saw the creation of five parks:  Chickamauga & Chattanooga, Shiloh, Antietam, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg. A resurgence in battlefield protection and preservation has emerged as a result of these early efforts. The results of preservation efforts have been the purchase of land and the development of scenic easements by grass roots organizations and national organizations like the Civil War Trust for places associated with Civil War battles. A lasting way to celebrate the 150^th is to pitch in and donate to the efforts that work for the protection of these hallowed grounds from encroaching development and urban sprawl. 

5. Read a Book – Perhaps one of the most written about subjects in American history, the Civil War has been cataloged, reviewed, retold and inspected in thousands of books. These books range in topics from personal memoirs to revisionist histories. The causes and consequences of the Civil War have provided ample fodder for generations of historians and authors alike, and it will undoubtedly continue on in the future. Two of my recommendations include: Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson and Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz. Battle Cry of Freedom is the most comprehensive and balanced view of the War in under one cover. While Confederates in the Attic challenges traditional views about the War between the States.

6. Visit a National Park – There is no better way of connecting to the historic events of the war than to stand in the places where those events unfolded. The hallowed ground of Civil War battlefields, and their national cemeteries, provide a powerful experience that is hard to forget. And with over 70 National Parks dedicated to the Civil War, you will find that there is more to this complex history than just violent battles. The layered history of the war is found in a patchwork of sites like the Fredrick Douglas National Historic Site, the Clara Barton National Historic Site, and Ford’s Theatre that make up the fabric of the entire story.  

Manassas National Battlefield 

Does this Place Matter to You? Searching for Relevancy at a Professional Conferences

February 6-8, 2013 marked the annual Saving Places Conference in Denver Colorado. The conference was organized by ColoradoPreservation Inc. (CPI).  CPI is dedicated to promoting historic preservation by providing education, training, expertise and advocacy to communities throughout the state of Colorado. This state historic preservation conference is an important part of CPI’s outreach and brings together preservation professionals and local community members passionate about historic places in the Rocky Mountain region.

This year’s conference was entitled, The Language of Preservation: Building a Relevant Message for the 21^st Century. Like sustainability, resiliency, inclusiveness and green, the word relevant is one of those popular buzz words in today’s society. In the historic preservation field, relevancy has become the antidote for declining interest and waning public support for historic preservation. Many of the conference sessions touched on this very topic: how do we make historic sites relevant within our society?

In other words, how do we make people care about the historic places we care about? This begs an even bigger question, should people really care about historic places? Do these sites truly reflect our diverse American culture? 

Questions about relevancy are part of a larger issue regarding history and how we learn about the past. Often our first experiences with history are in the classroom. We're handed dusty text books full of historic facts and are expected to commit these facts to memory. And then not too long after, we're tested on remembering historic dates with only one right answer. At an early age we are taught to think of history as static facts which result in clear outcomes. 

However, this robs history of its most valuable and enduring quality:

Actions in the past result in diverse outcomes for different people and historic events are wide open to interpretation from multiple perspectives depending on your age, gender, ethnicity, or religious background. In the search for relevancy we must be willing to embrace numerous human experiences throughout history. And historic sites provide an opportunity to explore the multi-cultural layers of our nation’s past.