This document provides background information on key events leading up to and during the War of 1812, including: 1) Events like the Embargo Act of 1807 and Non-Intercourse Act of 1809 that helped push the United States into war with Britain. 2) Military campaigns and battles during the war, such as failed invasions of Canada in 1812 and campaigns in 1813, as well as the British burning of Washington D.C. in 1814. 3) The document raises questions about how the war might impact American nationalism and identity in the aftermath of the conflict.