In a message dated 12/15/04 6:25:01 PM Eastern Standard Time, smclean@deadsquid.com writes: > Huzzah for history! The course of history always depends upon where you stand to view it. Books written close to the War of 1812 period were notoriously biased; e.g., British James and American Cooper. Later the "official " British Naval history of the period would be written by a young American, Teddy Roosevelt. 1. From where I stand the underlying cause of the War of 1812 was money. The British mercantile interests wanted to drive the American upstarts from the lucrative trade that belonged to Britain before the American Revolution. The US interests resisted All of the other reasons stated by the US for war were only the acceptable cover and allowed congress to vote for the War; i.e., westward expansion, annex Britain's Canadian colony, impressment, etc. 2. Canada could not have won the War, they were only a British colony. Actually, no one "won" 3. The British could have won the war if it has not been for their "problems" with France and Napoleon 4. The war ended when the same British mercantile interests were losing too much money because of the continuing war. 5. The British did rule the waves where they could use their naval resources. See #3 above. 6. In spite of my #5 above the US "super" Frigates and everyday Brigs/Ships scored some serious victories. 7. The U.S. won, not the war, but the peace. Trade improved. In spite of the initial political split, the states united against a common enemy and the Federal government was significantly strengthened. 8. Unfortunately the war of 1812 also illustrated weakness in our governmental system that would eventually lead to our Civil War between the States. Barry Ketner ...continuing the search for Joseph Edward Smoot.