What effect did the War of 1812 have on American nationalism?
The War of 1812 did not get to a military conclusion and was ended by the Treaty of Ghent in 1814, that set the national borders between USA and Canada. Both sides were tired and financially broke by that time. The British had occupied Washington and burnt the White House and the new Capitol building. The skirmishes between the two sides were small and inconclusive events that brought glory to no commander or corps of soldiers. There were no true battles; mostly sieges and blockades. At the same time, the United Kingdom was engaged in a 20-year war with Bonapartist France, and the 1812-14 war was seen by Parliament as an expensive side-show, important to protect Canada from USA expansionism and to prevent the Americans from supporting the French. The USA Congress regarded it as an opportunity to expand into the Great Lakes and Newfoundland areas, and to suppress the native Americans. The major outcomes were: 1. The USA Congress decided that a large standing army should be maintained in
