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In 1814, in the harbor at Baltimore, a battle was fought at Fort McHenry, during which the British shelled the American fortress.  An amateur poet named Francis Scott Key was detained during the battle and put his idle time to good use.  He penned the Star-Spangled Banner in honor of how the American flag continued to fly throughout the bombardment.  The words were immediately set to music, and became immensely popular.  In 1931, over 100 years later, it became the official National Anthem.

In 1814, in the harbor at Baltimore, a battle was fought at Fort McHenry, during which the British shelled the American fortress.  An amateur poet named Francis Scott Key was detained during the battle and put his idle time to good use.  He penned the Star-Spangled Banner in honor of how the American flag continued to fly throughout the bombardment.  The words were immediately set to music, and became immensely popular.  In 1931, over 100 years later, it became the official National Anthem.

Despite thrashing the United States in battle, England did not want to continue fighting.  So on Christmas Eve, England agreed to end the war with the Treaty of Ghent, and the U.S. did not have to give back any land.  The Treaty arranged for a long, open Canadian-U.S. border that remains to this day.  Sometimes the [[War of 1812]] is called the Second Revolutionary War because it permanently resolved disputes lingering from the first war.  Madison is frequently blamed by historians for allowing this war to happen in the first place.

Despite thrashing the United States in battle, England did not want to continue fighting.  So on Christmas Eve, England agreed to end the war with the Treaty of Ghent, and the U.S. did not have to give back any land.  The Treaty, which was negotiated by the Czar of Russia (a country depicted as a bear in political cartoons), arranged for the long, open Canadian-U.S. border that remains to this day.  Sometimes the [[War of 1812]] is called the Second Revolutionary War because it permanently resolved disputes lingering from the first war.  Madison is frequently blamed by historians for allowing this war to happen in the first place.

But news of the peace treaties traveled slowly in those days, and on Jan. 8, 1815, the British assaulted General Andrew Jackson's troops down in New Orleans.  Jackson had hated the British ever since he was a teenager, when a British soldier ordered Jackson to shine the soldier's shoes in a complete humiliation to Jackson.  Jackson refused and the soldier took out his sword and smacked Jackson across his face, leaving a scar he bore for the rest of his life.  Jackson would never forget where that scar came from.

But news of the peace treaties traveled slowly in those days, and on Jan. 8, 1815, the British assaulted General Andrew Jackson's troops down in New Orleans.  Jackson had hated the British ever since he was a teenager, when a British soldier ordered Jackson to shine the soldier's shoes in a complete humiliation to Jackson.  Jackson refused and the soldier took out his sword and smacked Jackson across his face, leaving a scar he bore for the rest of his life.  Jackson would never forget where that scar came from.