The Border

Did you know that Napoleon was defeated in the Spring of 1814?

After defeating Napoleon, the British plan was to move all of their troops to the United States and expand the war that they started with us in 1812.  The idea was to force us to give up our access to the Great Lakes and to take part of the Louisiana Purchase that Napoleon had sold to us in 1803.  (Napoleon had needed money to fight his war in Europe.)  The British were attacking with three different forces:  one in D.C., one in New York, and one in New Orleans.  (Ever heard a song called, "The Battle of New Orleans,"  by Johnny Horton?)

You remember the War of 1812 - when Washington, D.C. was invaded and the White House burned by the British?  Then they were driven out by a hurricane that killed more British than any battle...

The Treaty of Ghent ended the war of 1812 and was signed in the neutral territory of Ghent in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (now Belgium), and simply said, enough is enough.

December 1814

Can you believe that it was the RUSSIANS who brokered the U.S. / British peace treaty?  That's the Russian Ambassador shaking hands with John Quincy Adams in the painting.  However, with the Treaty of Ghent, no territory changed hands, captured troops were handed over by both sides, and slaves were returned by the British - or paid for.  BUT, it did establish the U.S. / Canadian border at the 49th parallel.  The British HAD wanted land designated to create an Indian Nation which would act as a buffer between the U.S. and Canada in the Northwest Territory (Ohio to Wisconsin).  I wonder how that would have changed the face of America today?

And now you know why the U.S. / Canadian border is such a nice straight line:  it's the 49th Parallel.  Well, until you get over to the New England states...  That was an okay outcome for the War of 1812.