What is War of 1812?
[[File:Battle erie.jpg|thumb|right|{{center|American commander [[Oliver Hazard Perry]] defeats the British at the Battle of [[Lake Erie]]}}|310x310px]] [[File:Monument to the War of 1812.jpg|thumb|{{center|A statue of a war of 1812 soldier}}]] The '''War of 1812''' was fought between the [[British Empire]] and the [[United States]] from 1812 to 1815 in [[North America]] and at sea.<ref name=HistAE>{{cite web |url=http://www.history.com/topics/war-of-1812 |title=War of 1812 |author= |date= |website=History |publisher=A&E Television Networks, LLC |accessdate=26 June 2016}}</ref> The British forces were helped by [[Canada|Canadian]] [[militia]] (volunteers) and [[Native American|Native Americans]] because British soldiers were busy fighting [[Napoleon I]] in [[Europe]]. In nearly every battle, the British defeated the attacking American forces. The war increased [[nationalism]] in both Canada and the United States. == Causes == One reason given by Americans for [[declaration of war|declaring war]] was that the British were bothering American [[ship]]s. The British claimed to be looking for British sailors who had [[desertion|deserted]].<ref name=McNamaraAC/> Many British sailors deserted from the miserable conditions and the harsh [[discipline]]. Originally, many of the sailors had been [[impressment|pressed]] into service.<ref name=impressMM>{{cite web |url=https://www.marinersmuseum.org/sites/micro/usnavy/08/08a.htm |title=Impressment of American Sailors |author= |date= |website=Prelude to the War of 1812 |publisher=The Mariners Museum |accessdate=9 November 2016 |archive-date=2 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202102017/https://www.marinersmuseum.org/sites/micro/usnavy/08/08a.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was the practice of the British to arrest any man they found on a street and to force him to serve on their ships.<ref name=impressMM/> Many British sailors who escaped signed on as crew aboard American merchant ships.<ref name=McNamaraAC/> The British claim was somewhat true.<re