Canadian American War of 1812

After the defeat of France's fleet in Europe by the British navy, the British Empire ruled the oceans. However, in North America, the newly independent nation of United States of America resisted British imperial interference with their shipping.

Having gained their freedom from the imperial British rule, the new United States believed that it would be easy to conquer the north British colony of Canada. They launched an invasion in June 1812. Colonials in Canadian provinces, volunteers, First Nations, including Shawnee led by Chief Tecumseh fought for British Empire in Canada's defence.

In 1813 a group of 460 soldiers, mostly Canadiens, turned back 4,000 American soldiers at Châteauguay, south of Montreal. The Americans burned Government House and the Parliament Buildings in York (now Toronto). In retaliation, in 1814, the British burned down the White House and other public buildings in Washington, D.C.

The war ended in 1814, when both sides gave back any territory they had captured. The British paid for a costly defence system including the Citadels at Halifax and Quebec City, the naval drydock at Halifax, Fort Henry at Kingston, and the Rideau Canal between Kingston and Ottawa. Today these are important historic sites and popular tourist attractions. The present-day Canada-U.S. border is partly an outcome of the War of 1812, which ensured that Canada would remain a British colony independent of the United States.