The Treaty of Ghent was signed on December 24, 1814. It officially ended the War of 1812. However, it didn’t fix the problems that had caused the war.
The agreement was made because Britain was worn out from the long war with France. Also, American leaders figured not losing was almost as good as winning. Still, many Americans believed they actually had won.
Defeating a powerful European force gave rise to stronger feelings of nationalism. Nationalism is feeling loyalty and pride in your country. For the first time, many people felt they were Americans. Instead of, say, New Yorkers or Virginians.
