Today in History: War of 1812
Today in History–June 18–the Library of Congress features the War of 1812. On this date in 1812 President James Madison signed a declaration of war against Great Britain. Reasons for the war included frustration with Britain’s maritime practices and their support of Native American resistance to western expansion as well as a desire to conquer Canada. The war lingered on past 1812 and in August, 1814, British forces attacked Washington D.C., setting fire to many government buildings including the White House and the Capitol building (which housed the 3,000-volume Library of Congress at the time). Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more resources and primary sources for the War of 1812 and the Treaty of Ghent, which marked the war’s end.
War of 1812
- A correct map of the seat of war 1812
- Plan of the attack and defence of the American lines below New Orleans map
- More War of 1812 maps
- The West Point Atlas of American Wars Volume I 1689-1900
- James Madison to Thomas Jefferson June 22, 1812
- Thomas Jefferson to James Madison June 29, 1812
- Thomas Jefferson to James Madison October 15, 1814
- More correspondence related to the War of 1812
- Draft of message to Congress during the war by James Madison December 9, 1813
- Observations on the capture of Washington DC by British troops by James Madison August 24, 1814
- Chronology of events in the War of 1812 1815
- Historical sketches of the late war between the United States and Great Britain 1818
- Historical sketch of the second war between the United States of America and Great Britain 1845
- More books about War of 1812
- A Scene on the Frontiers as Practiced by the Humane British and Their Worthy Allies!
- Select War of 1812 images
- More War of 1812 images
- War of 1812 sheet music
- War of 1812 related modern-day legislation
- Competing Narratives of the 1812 War (streaming webcast)
Treaty of Ghent
- Protocol of conference (Treaty of Ghent) December 23, 1814
- Treaty of Peace and Amity between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America December 24, 1814 United States Statutes at Large
- Treaty of Ghent December 24, 1814
- Letter from Thomas Jefferson to William H. Crawford concerning the Treaty of Ghent February 14, 1815 (sent one day prior to receiving notice of treaty from James Monroe)
- James Madison congressional communication concerning the Treaty of Ghent February & March, 1815
- Letter from President James Madison to Thomas Jefferson discussing the Treaty of Ghent March 12, 1815
Related resources
Teaching resources