Editing 1810s (section)

===War of 1812===
In 1812, the United States declared war on [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Britain]] in the [[War of 1812]].  The U.S. reasons for war included the humiliation in the [[Chesapeake–Leopard affair|"Chesapeake incident" of 1807]], continued British [[impressment]] of American sailors into the [[Royal Navy]], restrictions on trade with France, and arming hostile American Indians in Ohio and the western territories.<ref>Wood, ''Empire of Liberty'' (2009) ch 18</ref>  United States President [[James Madison]] signed a declaration of war on June 18, 1812.

The United States conducted two failed invasion attempts in 1812, first by General [[William Hull]] across the [[Detroit River]] into what is now [[Windsor, Ontario]], and a second offensive at the [[Niagara Peninsula|Niagara peninsula]].  A major American success came in 1813, when the American Navy destroyed the British fleet on Lake Erie, and forced the British and their American Indian allies to retreat back toward Niagara.<ref>Heidler and Heidler, ''Encyclopedia of the War of 1812'', pp 290-93</ref>    They were intercepted and destroyed by General [[William Henry Harrison]] at the [[Battle of the Thames]] in October 1813. [[Tecumseh]], the leader of the tribal confederation, was killed, and his Indian coalition disintegrated.<ref>Hickey, ''War of 1812'' p. 183</ref>

At sea, the powerful [[Royal Navy]] blockaded much of the coastline, conducting frequent raids. The most famous episode was a series of British raids on the shores of [[Chesapeake Bay]], including an attack on Washington that resulted in the British burning of the [[White House]], the [[United States Capitol|Capitol]], the [[Washington Navy Yard|Navy Yard]], and other public buildings, in the "[[Burning of Washington]]" in 1814.

Once Napoleon was defeated in 1814, France and Britain became allies and Britain ended the trade restrictions and the impressment of American sailors.  Running out of reasons for war and stuck in a military stalemate, the two countries signed the [[Treaty of Ghent]] on December 24, 1814.  News of the peace treaty took two months to reach the U.S., during which fighting continued.  In this interim, the British made one last major invasion, attempting to capture New Orleans, but were decisively defeated with very heavy losses by General Andrew Jackson at the [[Battle of New Orleans]] in January 1815.  The ending of the war opened a long era of peaceful relations between the United States and the British Empire.