1812: A Nation Emerges

June 15, 2012 - January 27, 2013

In January 1815 the news radiated across the country: Andrew Jackson had decisively defeated the British in the Battle of New Orleans. In a war in which so much had gone wrong for the United States, in which the British had beaten them in almost every land battle and burned their capital, Americans now read and heard about Jackson’s brilliant victory. They reacted with euphoria, celebrating with parades and banquets.  To President James Madison and his contemporaries, the War of 1812 was a completion of what had begun in 1776; the Battle of New Orleans was the last battle of the Revolutionary War. The nation now viewed itself as standing on its own. Two of America’s most enduring national symbols, Uncle Sam and the Star-Spangled Banner, date from this conflict. The original flag which inspired Francis Scott Key during the defense of Baltimore in 1814 is on permanent view in the National Museum of American History.

Through portraits and objects the exhibition narrated this pivotal event in American history and highlighted individuals who influenced events, such as President James Madison and First Lady Dolley Madison, General Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun and the  powerful Indian leader, Tecumseh.

View the online exhibition