American Battlefield Trust's 2026 Virtual Teacher Institute: American Nationalism & the War of 1812

After years of tensions on the high seas and along the frontier, the United States was a young nation at war once again with Great Britain. American militarism gave rise to an emergent wave of nationalism in the wake of catastrophic defeats at the hands of the British, and momentous victories in retaliation. Often bypassed as a critical conflict, the War of 1812 kick-started ideas on American unity, identity, and pride. It forged notable symbols and themes of "Americanism" during a time of immense domestic and international uncertainty. Join historian Madeline Feierstein for an in-depth discussion on how the War of 1812 ignited nationalism in the United States, and how wartime sentiments carried over into new territories, future battles, and new eras.