Which of the following statements about the War of 1812 are true? (Choose all that apply)

a. One of its causes took place five years before 1812.

b. British troops burned the White House and the Capitol.

c. Britain and France were allied against the United States.

d. The Federalist Party came out of the war greatly strengthened against the Republicans.

e. As a result of the war, the United States greatly enlarged its borders.

The correct answers are A, B and E.

Explanation:

The War of 1812 was a military conflict between the United States, on the one hand, and Great Britain and its North American colonies in present-day Canada, on the other, which took place from 1812 to 1815. The war started after President Jefferson - President of the US - wanted to stay out of European conflicts. He wanted to devote himself to building the new nation, doubling US territory under his rule. The United States also wanted to continue to trade unhindered with Napoleon Bonaparte's France and with other Napoleonic-controlled countries in mainland Europe. Britain did not want to recognize this neutrality right, in response to which Jefferson declared a trade embargo in 1807.

In 1812, Jefferson's successor James Madison declared war on Britain with the primary objective of breaking the Indian-British coalition and liberating Canada. During this war, on the night of August 24-25, 1814, Washington was occupied by the British and several public buildings, including the White House, were burned to the ground.

This war was finally ended with the Treaty of Ghent, which was drafted in 1814 and ratified by the Americans in 1815. English supremacy at sea was not curbed. Nor did the US succeed in conquering Canada. However, the British stopped supporting their Native American allies so that the colonization by the Americans of Native American territory could no longer be prevented by the original inhabitants.