Fought during a period of nation-building in North America, the War of 1812 helped cement America's sovereignty as a nation and Canada's sense of national pride at having successfuly repelled an invasion. This intriguing book helps readers understand the significance and long-term effects of the War of 1812 after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent ended hostilities in 1815. In the United States, these included the creation of heroes, the birth of a national anthem - The Star-Spangled Banner, and the reneging on treaties which destroyed Shawnee Chief Tecumseh's dream of an Indian confederacy; in Canada, it was prosperity through British war chests and a bonding of the provinces through a common foe.