The War of 1812 is unusual in that both nations believe their country to have won the war. In the United States, this was extremely signficant as a way to unify the nation by creating a strong national identity. Prior to this war, Americans did not feel unified, as people focused more on their belonging to a particular colony than to the nation. However, the threat of a foreign nation attacking the United States contributed to developing a sense of unity. Because of this, the war has been called the "second war of independence."