1812: The was a military conflict fought between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815. The war began because the United States objected to British interference with American trade, the impressment of American sailors into the British navy, and British support of Native American tribes resisting U.S. expansion in the West. Major events included the burning of Washington, D.C., and the successful American defense of Fort McHenry, which inspired the writing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Although the war ended with the Treaty of Ghent in 1814, neither side gained significant territory. However, the conflict increased American nationalism and strengthened the nation’s independence and identity.