Creating Legacies: Perspectives

Boarding Schools left a dark legacy over many tribes in North America. Indian children faced assimilation, abuse, discrimination and ethnocide on a scale never seen. Regardless of the efforts to “civilize” Indian children, the spirit of the tribes would not be broken.

The notion that it was the “Hunters of Kentucky”—loosely-organized citizen-soldiers—who won the Battle of New Orleans does not stand up to historical scrutiny. In fact, it was the regular army artillery gunners who turned the tide of battle. But a belief in the effectiveness of militia troops proved an appealing notion in a country with a deep suspicion of professional soldiers and a standing army.

Some wars have clear-cut outcomes. The winners and losers are unmistakable. The ending of the War of 1812 was much more ambiguous: no belligerent could claim an obvious victory. In the absence of a decisive victory, Americans struggled to define “victory” in the aftermath of the war.

These land loss agreements have become a part of tribal histories. Importantly, tribal communities acutely understand the daily relevance of their political sovereignty and their trust relations with the federal government.

By the end of the conflict the United States Navy had established a level of respectability abroad and credibility at home. That new reputation justified its existence in the mind of the public, and led to increased financial support for the Navy.

Future president John Quincy Adams remained unconvinced that America had gained anything by fighting the War of 1812. Writing privately to his father in 1816, he grumbled that many Americans were “rather more proud than they have reason [to be]...”

As a kind of visual shorthand, artists look for creative ways to personify nation states. Great Britain’s Britannia has an American equivalent in Columbia. The usually pudgy, clean-shaven John Bull might be paired with Uncle Sam, tall and lean with goatee. While the histories of these icons often take murky twists and turns, Uncle Sam may have roots in the War of 1812. Let’s explore.