THE WAR OF 1812
Madison's presidency was not without problems. In particular, the British seizing of American ships was something that he could not resolve diplomatically. Instead, he pushed for war, and the U.S. eventually invaded Canada (then still a British colony), in what became known as the [[War of 1812]]. That war saw the seizing of Detroit by Canada, and the burning of Washington, D.C. by the British. In hindsight, the War of 1812 is often viewed as a mistake, but at the time the [[Federalist partyParty]]'s opposition to the War (and to Madison's [[Democratic-Republican partyParty]]) led to the Federalists being viewed as "unpatriotic" and "anti-American," and the party disbanded soon after the next election year.