War of 1812

War of 18 12. , The War of 18 12 is one of the most forgotten wars of the United States in the battle for independence. The war lasted for over two years, and while it ended much like it started - in stalemate - it was, in fact, a war that, once and for all, truly confirmed American independence. , James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, declared war on Great Britain on June 12, 1812. The war was declared as a result of long simmering disputes with Great Britain over America's right to trade by sea with France and other European countries that were at war with Britain. , The war was marked by a series of defeats for American land forces that had expected to conquer Canada. The tiny American navy of only twenty ships, however, met with successive victories against the British, who had thousands of ships. America's future national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner", was written by Francis Scott Key during the British bombardment on Fort McHenry on September 13, 1814. A peace treaty was signed at Ghent, Belgium, on December 24, 1814. 22,060 Americans died in the conflict.