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Article: War!
- Article from:
- U.S. News & World Report
- Article date:
- January 30, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 All rights reserved. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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WAR OF 1812
Why: Britain, then at war with France, was seizing U.S. merchant ships off France. Moreover, many western Americans believed that the British in Canada were inciting Indian attacks on pioneers. Congress declared war on June 18, 1812.
Number of soldiers: 286,730. The United States fought the war using regulars, militias, even bayou pirates.
Casualties: 6,765
Cost of war: $90 million, $2.2 billion in 2002 currency
Sacrifices asked for by President James Madison: None specific, but the sea-trading New England states' economies were savaged by commercial losses.
Wartime song: Francis Scott Key penned "The ...