2012 marks the anniversary of the 1812 war between the United States and Great Britain and the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the National Archives and the genealogical community have started the digitization of the war pension files for that period.

• The war itself arose out of simmering tensions between the US and Britain following the War on Independence or the American Revolution which ended in 1783.
• Britain was being an irritant in the side of America, refusing to totally disengage from territory along the shores of the Great Lakes and commercial trade.
• The blockades that ensued during the Napoleonic Wars between France and Britain, further disadvantaged America and despite attempts at forging a peaceful economic solution, war was eventually declared by America on Britain.

A good site to read the detail of the war can be found at www.gatewayno.com

If you would like to get involved in the project then connect to theFederation of Genealogical Socieites

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