Final answer:
The War of 1812, between the U.S. and Great Britain, featured American resilience despite unpreparedness, with key moments like the U.S. Navy's victory on Lake Erie and the Battle of the Thames. The conflict fostered American nationalism and the drive for westward expansion rather than solidifying an agricultural identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The War of 1812
The War of 1812, sometimes referred to as the Second War of American Independence, was a conflict that arose from the unresolved tensions between the United States and Great Britain. Key issues included the British practice of impressment and their support of Native American resistance to U.S. expansion. Despite being unprepared, with a downsized army and a small navy, the U.S. managed to endure the war. In 1813, the U.S. Navy gained control of Lake Erie, allowing General William Henry Harrison to defeat the British and Indian forces at the Battle of the Thames, greatly weakening the Native American confederation led by Tecumseh. This was a significant turning point as it shifted the focus of the war to the south.
The War of 1812 ultimately ended with the Treaty of Ghent, which restored pre-war boundaries but did not address the issue of impressment. However, the war stimulated American nationalism and prompted the country to turn its attention to westward expansion, rather than remaining an agricultural nation exclusively. Notably, the British did not gain control of the Great Lakes, nor was New Orleans occupied or destroyed by them; instead, the Battle of New Orleans became a celebrated American victory, even though it occurred after the peace treaty had been signed.