The War of 1812: America's Most Pointless War?

Ever wondered how a war can end a full month before its biggest, bloodiest battle even happens? Welcome to the War of 1812 — history's most confusing "second war for independence." Jaron and Tim go deep on the War of 1812 — the war everybody's heard of and nobody actually understands. This is the "second war for independence," a messy tangle where Great Britain was still throwing its weight around 30 years after the Revolution, kidnapping American sailors right off their ships through a wild policy called impressment, seizing entire trade vessels, and quietly puppeteering a Native American confederacy across the Midwest. Meanwhile Napoleon's going ham across Europe, Britain's fighting the Luddites, and the young United States is getting squeezed from every direction. The guys trace it all from the Louisiana Purchase to the burning of Washington, the New England states nearly breaking away at the Hartford Convention, and the almost comically tragic Battle of New Orleans — a massive American victory fought two weeks after the peace treaty was already signed, because news traveled so slowly nobody knew the war was over. Along the way you'll get the secret unfinished vault behind Abraham Lincoln's head on Mount Rushmore, the real story behind the Star-Spangled Banner, and a heroic amount of accordion, tuba, and Guitar Hero talent-show tangents. It's history, it's chaos, it's why the modern world is so much less stabby than it used to be. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tilln.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode link: ⁠⁠https://tilln.com/warof1812⁠⁠ Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/tillnpodcast Watch this next: Do You Want to See the Hat Man? Here's How → https://youtu.be/ZgHppoUZV9w⁠⁠ Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices