"Like Avogadro's number or the rules of subjunctive verbs, the War of 1812 is one of those things that you learned about in school and promptly forgot without major consequence," says historian James M. Lundberg in a recent Slate.com article, "Happy 200th Birthday, War of 1812!" Lundberg goes on to explain why this war, unlike other U.S. conflicts, has faded from our collective memory. Indeed, at first glance, it seems that the anniversary of War of 1812 only matters to the U.S. Navy and Canadians looking for a chance to gloat. But just because America hasn't exactly caught War of 1812 bicentennial fever doesn't make its "most bumbling, most confusing, and most forgotten conflict" the any less fascinating to historians and history lovers.
This Sunday, June 11 C-SPAN American History TV viewers can watch Nicole Eustace, author of 1812: War and the Passions of Patriotism, and fellow historian Alan Taylor discuss the implications of the war that brought us the "Star-Spangled Banner" and ushered in the Era of Good Feelings. The video will be posted on www.c-spanvideo.org after the cablecast. Here's a preview of the interview on YouTube.
