a war (1812–15) fought between Britain and the US. One of the main causes was the British action of forcing American sailors to serve on British ships. During the war, US soldiers attacked Canada, but without success. The British captured Washington, DC, in 1814 and burned the Capitol and the White House (1). American successes, however, led to the Treaty of Ghent (1814) which ended the war. General Andrew Jackson , not aware of the Treaty, defeated the British three weeks later at the battle of New Orleans (1815). The war made Americans more united and less willing to become involved in European affairs.
See also isolationism . See also Star-Spangled Banner .