Researching the War of 1812 requires working with primary sources—military records, letters, newspapers, maps, and government documents. This guide explains where to find these materials and how to interpret them, covering archives in the United States, Canada, and Britain.
Contemporary accounts of the Battle of New Orleans include official reports, memoirs, and letters from American and British participants, offering diverse perspectives on the January 8, 1815 engagement. These primary sources are essential for understanding the battle’s details, controversies, and historical significance.
In April 1813, American troops burned York, the capital of Upper Canada, during the War of 1812. This article explains the military objectives, the role of the powder magazine explosion, and the cycle of retaliation that followed, leading to the British burning of Washington in 1814.
Despite the Treaty of Ghent’s promises to restore lands to pre-war status, the War of 1812’s aftermath led to massive land cessions and removal of Indigenous peoples in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, while British policies in Canada concentrated Anishinaabeg on reserves.
British Army uniforms during the War of 1812 blended regulation, fashion, and practical necessity. This article details the coatees, facings, shakos, and campaign dress worn by British regulars and supporting units in North America from 1812 to 1815.
In June 1812, the U.S. House and Senate narrowly approved the first declaration of war in American history, with the House voting 79–49 and the Senate 19–13. The votes were sharply partisan—every Federalist voted no, while a quarter of Republicans also opposed or abstained—revealing deep divisions over relations with Britain.
In August 1814, British forces invaded Washington, D.C., defeated American militia at the Battle of Bladensburg, and burned the Capitol, the President’s House, and other public buildings. The capture forced President Madison to flee and marked a low point for the United States, but it also hardened American resolve and became a defining moment in the War of 1812.
Thomas Macdonough commanded the American naval squadron that defeated a British fleet on Lake Champlain on September 11, 1814, at the Battle of Plattsburgh Bay. The victory, part of the larger Battle of Plattsburgh, stopped a British invasion from Canada and helped shape the peace negotiations that ended the War of 1812.
Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819) was a United States Navy officer who commanded American forces at the decisive Battle of Lake Erie in 1813, securing control of the lake and enabling the subsequent American victory at the Battle of the Thames.
The Battle of Plattsburgh, also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain, was a decisive American victory during the War of 1812, ending the last British invasion of the northern United States and influencing the Treaty of Ghent negotiations.
