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Teaching the War of 1812

Spoiler alert: it happened in 1812.

  • Activities: 6
  • Quiz Questions: 49

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When teaching history, it's easy to skip straight from 1811 to 1813. But there's a whole year in there and a whole war—albeit an uncreatively named one (and one that actually lasted until 1815). So before you skip over The War of 1812, let us help you teach it.

In this guide you will find

  • lessons that analyze historical documents and iconic images.
  • essay questions that dig deeper than "In what year did the War of 1812 begin?"
  • resources illustrating the long-lasting implications of the war, from the phrase caveat emptor to Dolley Madison's contributions (which didn't involve baked goods).

With our guide, teaching the War of 1812 doesn't have to be a losing experience.

What's Inside Shmoop's History Teaching Guides

Shmoop is a labor of love from folks who love to teach. Our teaching guides will help you supplement in-classroom learning with fun, engaging, and relatable learning materials that bring history to life.

Inside each guide you'll find quizzes, activity ideas, discussion questions, and more—all written by experts and designed to save you time. Here are the deets on what you get with your teaching guide:

  • 3-5 Common Core-aligned activities (including quotation, image, and document analysis) to complete in class with your students, with detailed instructions for you and your students. 
  • Discussion and essay questions for all levels of students.
  • Reading quizzes to be sure students are looking at the material through various lenses.
  • Resources to help make the topic feel more relevant to your 21st-century students.
  • A note from Shmoop's teachers to you, telling you what to expect from teaching the topic and how you can overcome the hurdles.

Want more help teaching Teaching the War of 1812?

Check out all the different parts of our corresponding learning guide.



Instructions for You

Objective: As we mention in our Summary & Analysis of The War of 1812, there have been many different interpretations of the war and what it did or did not accomplish. 

In this writing exercise your students will clarify their interpretation of the war's meaning by selecting one of two quotes and writing an essay in support of that interpretation. 

Length of Lesson: One class period. (Note: You can also assign this essay as homework.)

Materials Needed: 

Step One: Remind your students that there have been many different interpretations of the War of 1812 and what it did—or did not—accomplish. For a quick review of that concept, take a quick read through Shmoop's Summary & Analysis page for The War of 1812.

Step Two: Explain to your students that they will be choosing a quote that expresses a particular interpretation and writing an essay to support that position. Show them the two quotes below and let them get started. Be sure to give them any necessary guidelines—deadlines (is this an in-class essay or will it be due next Friday?), required length, format, etc.—and then let them go.

"The obscurity of this war... should not blind us to its significance, for it was an important turning point, a great watershed, in the history of the young republic. [...] Although looking to the past, the war was fraught with consequences for the future, and for this reason it is worth studying today." 
— Donald Hickey, An American Perspective on the War of 1812 

"The war has renewed and reinstated the national feelings and character which the Revolution had given, and which were daily lessened. The people . . . . are more American; they feel and act more as a nation; and I hope the permanency of the Union is thereby better secured."
— Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin, 1816

"Canadians are emphatic that America did not win, and the British agree. Americans usually argue that we really did win. In terms of military outcomes, “stalemate from mutual exhaustion” is the phrase to use. By 1815 it became extremely difficult to see how either side could have carried on the war for another year. In that sense nobody won."
— J.C.A. Stagg, in a 2012 HistoryNet interview

Step Three: When students have finished their essays, take some time to debrief by having volunteers share excerpts from their writing and discussing what you hear with the whole class.

Instructions for Your Students

War. What is it good for? According to Edwin Starr, absolutely nothing. And some people might agree, particularly when it comes to the War of 1812. 

As we mention in our Summary & Analysis of The War of 1812, there have been many different interpretations of the war and what it did or did not accomplish. 

Today, you'll weigh in and let us know what you think the War of 1812 was good for, if anything. 

Step One: Remember: there have been many different interpretations of the War of 1812 and what it did—or did not—accomplish. For a quick review of that concept, take a quick read through Shmoop's Summary & Analysis page for The War of 1812.

Step Two: Now take a look at the two quotes below and let them get started. Your job is to choose one of them and write an essay to support it. Before you get started, be sure to get any necessary guidelines from your teacher—i.e., deadlines (is this an in-class essay or will it be due next Friday?), required length, format, and the like.

Here are the quotes:

"The obscurity of this war... should not blind us to its significance, for it was an important turning point, a great watershed, in the history of the young republic. [...] Although looking to the past, the war was fraught with consequences for the future, and for this reason it is worth studying today." 
— Donald Hickey, An American Perspective on the War of 1812 

"The war has renewed and reinstated the national feelings and character which the Revolution had given, and which were daily lessened. The people . . . . are more American; they feel and act more as a nation; and I hope the permanency of the Union is thereby better secured."
— Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin, 1816

"Canadians are emphatic that America did not win, and the British agree. Americans usually argue that we really did win. In terms of military outcomes, “stalemate from mutual exhaustion” is the phrase to use. By 1815 it became extremely difficult to see how either side could have carried on the war for another year. In that sense nobody won."
— J.C.A. Stagg, in a 2012 HistoryNet interview

Step Three: When you're finished with your essay, take some time to debrief by sharing excerpts from your writing and discussing what you hear from others with the whole class.