War of 1812 Documentary - PBS Documentary

[Bobzilla]

The USA was too large to conquer, even by Wellington. The more interesting alternative is if the Brits sent Wellington to seize Louisiana. The plot line would have him whipping Andy Jackson at N'awlins and sailing his army up the Miss to Saint Louis. The Royal Navy would deliver guns to the Cherokee and Seminoles and raise the Southern Indians against the US.

Actually, I don't think that conquering the US would ever have happened. Far more likely and just as interesting would have been Wellington conquering most of New England & the Michigan Territory & setting up an Indian buffer state. Which actually WAS the plan before Britain just abandoned the notion.

Tecumseh tried to raise the southern tribes against the US, with little success.

 

[Aardvark154]

setting up an Indian buffer state. Which actually WAS the plan before Britain just abandoned the notion.

It was the combination of U.S. Control of Lake Erie in September 1813 and the death of Tecumseh at the Battle of the Thames a bit over a month later which killed that idea.

 

[Rockslinger]

Actually, I don't think that conquering the US would ever have happened.

Thank goodness, we never conquored the U.S. That country is broke. They are AA and we are AAA. Hee, hee, hee.

 

[mandrill]

Would New England have been interested in that idea - as opposed to seceding from the Union with Britain as a "protector"?

Nothing in the Michigan Teritory at that point and GB's policy had always been to avoid Injun Trouble by not expanding westward south of the Great Lakes.

 

[Aardvark154]

Would New England have been interested in that idea - as opposed to seceding from the Union with Britain as a "protector"?

It is doubtful. There is a significant difference between we shouldn't go to war and I love being conquered.

In fact Maine (then part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts) east of Penobscot Bay was occupied by the U.K. for eight months from late Summer 1814 until Spring 1915. The inability of Massachusetts to prevent this for the second time in 32 years was one of the driving factors in Maine Statehood.

As a piece of interesting trivia the customs duties collected at Castine, Maine (the "capital" of the occupied district) during that period, the so called "Castine Fund", were used to establish Dalhousie University.

 

[Mervyn]

Defeating the US I think was a possibility , keeping it though would not have been, they already fought for thier independence, they would likely fight again. as has been stated the Brits were sick of war at this point, and frankly it was simply more profitable to end the war.

Conquering a country takes a lot of resources, both from the initial battles, and then the cost of a lengthy occuptation... much much more profitable,and with less lives lost, to just end the war and return to normal trade relations.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

anyone have the real video footage of 1812? I 'd like to watch it :hand:

 

[sleazure]

anyone have the real video footage of 1812? I 'd like to watch it :hand:

When was that, anyway? Was Sony already making Betacams then, or were they still in alpha testing?

 

[Rockslinger]

Did you know the stock market rose 26% during the War of 1812?

 

[Aardvark154]

Did you know the stock market rose 26% during the War of 1812?

Which stock market?

 

[Rockslinger]

Which stock market?

I got this newspaper clipping from 1991 on how the U.S. stock market performs during wars. Apparently, the source of this info is McGraw Hill (sp)

 

[pronto91]

Actually, the British did that.

Are you sure about that? I am no history major by any stretch but I thought it was the British militia (read: Canadians) who did that. At least that is what I have been telling all my 'Merican friends...
I'd like to find out more about that.

 

[Aardvark154]

I got this newspaper clipping from 1991 on how the U.S. stock market performs during wars. Apparently, the source of this info is McGraw Hill (sp)

In that case probably New York.

 

[Keebler Elf]

Are you sure about that? I am no history major by any stretch but I thought it was the British militia (read: Canadians) who did that. At least that is what I have been telling all my 'Merican friends...
I'd like to find out more about that.

No, it was British regulars.

There's a whole line of study regarding the "myth of the Canadian militia" and how the role it played, while important, has been taken far out of proportion to its actual contribution (and no, my intent is not to bash my fellow Canadians). British regulars played an indispensable role in the defense of Canada in the War of 1812 but we like to think it was the militia that did that. The proportion each contributed to the victory as a whole is highly debated by scholars.

 

[Aardvark154]

Tonight at nine o'clock on PBS

 

[blackrock13]

Tonight at nine o'clock on PBS

Got my bread cheese and drinks ready. I just have to get out my Brown Bess.

 

[oldjones]

Is Canada the only country on the planet that did'nt boot out their British colonizers?

Not according to Wikipedia. in fact I'd suspect the violent excess of the American Rebellion was the minority route to independence among the colonies, but you'd have to do your own research on the numbers.

 

[oldjones]

No, it was British regulars.

There's a whole line of study regarding the "myth of the Canadian militia" and how the role it played, while important, has been taken far out of proportion to its actual contribution (and no, my intent is not to bash my fellow Canadians). British regulars played an indispensable role in the defense of Canada in the War of 1812 but we like to think it was the militia that did that. The proportion each contributed to the victory as a whole is highly debated by scholars.

And lest we forget; we'd all be Americans now if the First Nations under Tecumseh hadn't saved our bacon and England's day. For which loyalty they were sadly betrayed at the peace.

 

[Aardvark154]

The program was I felt even handed, however, it did not go into much detail, and it completely ignored the War in eastern Maine/New Ireland. Then again it was but two hours long.

It will be interesting to see what the CBC program next year will be like.

 

[Rockslinger]

eastern Maine/New Ireland.

They did talk about the New England states and how they opposed the war because it hurt trade and there were many inter-marriages between New Englanders and Canadians. When did the Quebecois emigrate to New England to work in the mills?