The United States <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_declaration_of_war_on_the_United_Kingdom" id="mwdQ" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="United States declaration of war on the United Kingdom">declaration of war</a> upon the United Kingdom is signed by President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Madison" id="mwdg" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="James Madison">James Madison</a>, beginning the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812" id="mwdw" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="War of 1812">War of 1812</a>.