History Review Lesson 1

"Charge ahead, men! Someday this will be Canada! There goes the neighborhood!"

The government of Canada has committed $28 million for the commemoration of the War of 1812. This seems odd. Many Americans and Canadians neither know of, or care about that war. A short quiz will reveal your level of interest in this subject.

Question: When was the War of 1812?
a) 1812
b) 1776-2102
c) Neither. It was just a movie.

Who fought in the War of 1812?
a) The Americans and the Canadians
b) The Americans and the British
c) It doesn't matter. Canada wants to commemorate it.
Canada was not a nation until 55 years after the war.

Who won the War of 1812?
a) The British
b) The Americans
c) Neither; China ended up with all the money.

Where was the War of 1812 fought?
a)  Canada
b) The United States
c)  All over the place, including at sea, the Atlantic coast, The Great Lakes, and New Orleans. Oh, and the British burned down Washington D.C.

Why was the War of 1812 fought?
a) The Americans trampled on British territory.
b) The British trampled on American territory.
c)  It was about money and power. Duh.

Out of  this war was born the U.S. National Anthem: "Oh Say, can you see..." We also saved Baltimore, so we could have the Orioles, and New Orleans, home of the Bubba Shrimp Co. But I doubt that the Canadians will be mentioning that stuff during their commemoration.