War of 1812

Dominic SandbrookBritish historian, author and co-host of The Rest Is History

• Sandbrook says the war is chiefly remembered in Canada, where the defeat of American invasions became foundational to national identity.

  “And this is, of course, a foundational moment in Canadian identity. So the one place where people do talk about the War of 1812 is in Canada”

  The Rest Is History: 677. USA: The Star-Spangled Banner (Part 1) (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 8:45

• Sandbrook argues that the War of 1812 is obscure even in the United States, partly because it ended in a draw.

  “And even for American listeners, I think, would have to concede that this war is very obscure as, in fact, reading an American historian about it”

  The Rest Is History: 677. USA: The Star-Spangled Banner (Part 1) (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 5:28