America’s 2nd War of Independence | 5 Minute Video
In this video, author Brian Kilmeade sheds light on the largely and unfortunately overlooked War of 1812. Kilmeade explains how this war got started, the daunting odds against a nation in its infancy, and the unlikely hero who secured America’s young nation’s future by pulling off one of the greatest upsets in military history.
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Script:
The United States had to fight not one, but two wars for its independence. The first, of course, was the Revolutionary War.
Can you name the second?
It was the War of 1812.
Now, both wars were against the British. And in both cases, the Americans should have lost.
The Revolutionary War is very much celebrated in American history. The second one has all but been forgotten.
But had it been lost, America’s history would have been much, much different.
The British precipitated the war by failing to recognize the United States as a sovereign nation. For five years between 1807 and 1812, they repeatedly disrupted American commerce, boarding American merchant ships, capturing their sailors—over 5,000 of them—and forcing them to work on British ships.
Finally, President James Madison said, “Enough!” and on June 18, 1812, Congress declared war on Britain. The euphoria didn’t last long. And for good reason. The Americans had no viable strategy, no standing army to speak of, no generals worthy of the rank, a very small navy, a wholly inadequate supply of munitions.
It was a different story on the British side. They had all the men, ships, generals and admirals they needed—and then some. If these upstart Yankees wanted war, the British were only too happy to accommodate them.
Things went pretty much as expected: one American defeat after another, culminating in the burning of Washington, D.C.
The great prize of the war was not the tiny American capital, or even the larger, nearby city of Baltimore. The prize the British wanted was the gateway to the American West, the city at the mouth of the Mississippi River—New Orleans. If Britain controlled this key southern port, it could check American expansion, confining it to the eastern half of the continent for the foreseeable future.
To take New Orleans, the British amassed an enormous sea and land force—60 ships, 10,000 men.
And what could the Americans offer by way of defense? Enter Andrew Jackson, one of the most remarkable figures in American history.
Born in 1767 in the territories of the Carolinas, Jackson first encountered the British during the Revolutionary War. His memories were not happy ones. His mother and his two brothers died in the war. And Jackson himself was left with a permanent scar, the gift of a British officer who slashed him with his sword when the teenage boy refused to clean his boots.
Self-educated, Jackson settled in Nashville, Tennessee. There he became a frontier lawyer and, after Tennessee was admitted to the Union, served briefly as its sole congressman, then as a senator representing the new state.
Though he had no formal military training, Jackson was elected major general of the Tennessee militia and gained fighting experience leading several successful campaigns against the Indians of the region.
He inspired both great loyalty and great fear in the men under his command: loyalty because he fought beside them, enduring every hardship they endured; and fear because he demanded strict military discipline. Given the inherently rebellious, don’t-tread-on-me nature of the frontiersmen under his command, this was no mean feat.
But Jackson had never faced a foe like the British: a highly disciplined, battle-tested army.
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but also by the treaty of ghent the war was a disaster fro the US for instanace 3 invasions of british canada were repulsed even though the americans had the numbers their capital had been sacked and the the slaves-which were necessary for the US economy-were on the brink of revolt and new orlens only happened after the treaty of Ghent
Canadian here.
But America did lose of the War of 1812 because they failed in their objective to conquer Canada. You guys were the aggressors who started the war. If America had won, there wouldn't be a country called Canada.
The Americans precipitated the war by attacking British colonies in North America. The Americans knew the British were preoccupied with Napoleon and Americans sought to take advantage of that by invading Canada. The Burning of Washington was in response to the Burning of York (present day Toronto). The Battle of New Orleans happened after the war was over and was essentially meaningless. The British had no plan to colonize Louisiana wanted to finalize the peace by ratifying the Treaty of Ghent as soon as possible, regardless of what happened in New Orleans.
Inaccurate, shameful, and one sided.
"The acquisition of Canada this year will be a mere matter of marching." – Thomas Jefferson
That should tell you pretty much all you need to know why the war of 1812 started. The pressing of sailors into the Royal Navy was "Saddam's WMD" of the day, it had nothing really to do with the cause of the war but it was an excuse they used.
Excellent video. All I remember from school was that we did poorly. I don't remember learning about mr Jackson kicking butt
never let this man make another history video again
This video is an embarrassment for Prager. There's so much incorrect information, and 80% of the video has nothing to do with the war of 1812.
No, the war of 1812 wasn't the second war of American Independence. The British did NOT precipitate the war. Americans are always projecting themselves as innocent. The war of 1812 was a war of American aggression to conquer the hated British colonies. America failed. Canada is here and always will be as a reminder that the US often fails, and deservedly so.
It would be better if he knew what he was talking about. You gone caned. All the Brits were fighting France and were outnumbered in north America. You can see why he works for Fox
But it was the Us who invaded Canada?
This is a very overlooked conflict!
War of 1812 was not a 2d war of independence
More like America's first Vietnam.
the second war of independence is the civil war
This is so much 🐂💩
You lost the second😂
I often wonder if Jackson is one of our last great Presidents. After Teddy Roosevelt did any President agree and defend the US Constitution? Maybe JFK was our last real President. THEY killed him.
Never knew any of this.
This battle is one of my favorite events in history. Andrew Jackson was an absolute chad. And to see just a rag tag group defeat one of the biggest military in the world us just extraordinary. God truly was in our side in the war of 1812, which though was a battle after a treaty, WASN'T RATIFIED until February 15th 1815, few weeks after the battle, finally ending the war on my birthday.
People of color is an offensive, anti-white racial slur. The people of color term is seen by many as an anti-white American racial slur that dehumanizes, separates and segregates whiteEuropean Americans from all other ethnicities, which is of course for many is the intention. We ALL have color!
Free black men, Brian. Please don't use that white slur…of color. It's offensive. Get a clue dude! People of color is an offensive, anti-white racial slur. The people of color term is seen by many as an anti-white American racial slur that dehumanizes, separates and segregates whiteEuropean Americans from all other ethnicities, which is of course for many is the intention. We ALL have color!
How was this our second war for independence?
1.America was pretending to be neutral while trading goods to Napoleon's France.
2.America was actively brutalizing the natives on the frontier.
3.American "patriots" violently beat, stabbed and killed anti-war voices.
Free speech anyone?
4. Congress Declared war and was extremely divided in the vote to actually declare war in both house and senate.
5. America arrogantly and brashly invaded Canada as first order of business.
I knew none of this! So grateful you presented history that was new to me, an inveterate reader, who had never read of the Battle of New Orleans and Andrew Jackson's pivotal role. Thank you!
This sort of thing had to do with the Northwest Ordinance issue and over the American slave trade also 54' 40'' or Fight to expand slavery north into Canada. This would not end until the establishment of Canada in 1867 and the Treaty of Washington in 1871 done out of ulterior motives in agreement to give up 54' 40'' or Fight and to recognize the Canadian border as America just was exhausted fighting War Between The States(so-called Civil War over King Cotton to expand industrialization into the agrarian South). America would then try to conquer Korea in 1870 and failed starting the First Korean War. The Second Korean War of 1950 tore the country into two making the South an American colony like Northern Ireland is to England to this day.
War For Independence(so-called American Revolution or Fight Solution was really about slavery-Britain wanted to abolish slavery-abolition did not mean racial equality, but more for racial separatism and for economic reasons).
It's Funny. As the America is an expression of Great Britain.
Fighting with same brothers.
Unfortunately, you really missed the mark on the truth behind the purpose and cause of the War of 1812. The Battle of New Orleans took place after the war was over.
The War of 1812 was not about US expansion to the West but about trade with British colonies (Canada) to the North.
The UK recognized the USA's independence in 1783
The UK was fighting in the Napoleonic war during 1812 this most of the British army was already in use during the war of 1812
He makes the USA seem like an amazing nation that did nothing wrong and was the victim when in reality they attacked first and committed genocide on the native Americans
Conclusion, this is inaccurate American propoganda
And, also, WE BURNED DOWN ALL YOUR STUFF, AND THE PRESIDENT RAN AND CRIED, AND THE AMERICANS RAN AND CRIED LIKE A BUNCH OF LITTLE BABIES WA WA WA
Prager u, you can never forget that Canadians burned down the white house
Limeys are salty 😂 The United States is (arguably) 3 – 0 against the British . . . Why can't you guys just win? 😏
LOL THIS IS Hilariously retarded
If anything it’s the Canadian war of independence as like all revolutionaries The Americans tried to spread the revolution with military means like the Communist USSA
Laughably inaccurate and does a disservice the actual successes (Go USN!) of this ill considered and poorly prosecuted US invasion of the Canadas.
Very disappointed in a video that is more nonsense than historical fact. This was not a war for independence, but a war of aggression on the US part to make war on western Indian tribes and to invade and make Canada part of the US while Britain was busy fighting Napolean. Britain gave almost 0 resources to the war, and burned Washington only as a "payback" for the US burning and looting the Canadian capital first. The war did not end in victory for the US. England got what it wanted – Canada stayed in British control. The US got what it wanted – an excuse to bring war to the native tribes that were currently preventing their western expansion. England always practiced the impressing of soldiers to fill their navy from any country they so desired – they were not "picking on" the US. The impressing of sailors had nothing to do with the war, it was an excuse for the US to move forward with western and northern expansion while Britain had their hands full with Napolean. The treaty of Ghent never even mentioned the impressment of sailors. So if the war was about the impressment of sailors, and the Treaty of Ghent said that England could still continue with that practice, how is it an American victory? Videos like this by people who understand very little about the actual history they are teaching only serve to further more misinformation by people who have a current agenda other than the history they should be presenting after responsible study.
Maybe you guys should stick more towards politics and less history? IDK but you guys seem more of the political type than historians.
😳 I hope this is comedy, man, 'cause I want to know your IQ otherwise… holy hell, this is misleading… dude… you should read some history before you make history videos 🤦🏻♂️
Where are your sources? I'd love to look them because alot of the stuff you guys just said is off. For one you guys, conveniently, glossed over the entirety of the war. Also, your statement of "The British to more than happy to accommodate" this seems very questionable. Because the British at this time were busy fighting a war with the French, they were very much facing an possible invasion themselves. Also they've already spent alot of financial resources and military assets on this conflict. So, to say the British were more "than happy to accommodate" is wrong. This is kind of where sources are important. Also the battle New Orleans you guys stated 10k troops was the composition of the British force. I'd like to know where got that number, because the U.S battlefield trust have stated the number was 8k.
Also, your statement of "No standing army and no generals worthy of rank" U.S Army was the standing army at that time, It might've been small but it was the standing army. As for "No generals worthy of rank" Have any of you heard of General Alexander Macomb? He was promoted, after the war, as the commanding general of the entire U.S Army, and he's also known as the hero of Plattsburgh, for his actions during the battle in the war. I'd say he was very much worthy of rank. Then there's Winfield Scott, is known as one of the best Generals in history of the U.S Army. Yes, he did fight in the War of 1812. So, that's another who's definitely worthy of the rank. See, this is why sources are important because I just named two generals who were worthy of their rank, that contradicts your claim of "No generals worthy of rank". Check your sources next time.
If you're wondering the U.S Military Academy at West Point was established in 1802, so it would've already produced many good officers by the start of the conflict.
Anyways I'd would like to look at your sources give you guys some corrections.
Where are they pulling these figures from? What happened to the Canadian Campaign, the naval battles, the Treaty of Ghent?
Please go read a history book to get a full and complete account of the war, this is just a video to hype Andrew Jackson (who I do like, but I was promised an 1812 war video)
American propaganda
To any student who just watched this video to learn something about the War of 1812, go ahead and cite this video on a paper you write. I dare you.
Only Americans could invade foreign land be pushed out of that land, lose multiple battles, have their capital burned and claim that they didn’t lose