ForCanadians,theWarof1812hasheldvariousmeaningsatdifferenttimes.Intheimmediateaftermath,alongsidethe“Loyalist“narrativeoffleeingfromthedefeatoftheBritishatthehandsofAmericanrebels,thewarwasregardedasredemptiveforthosestillloyaltoBritishNorthAmerica.FromtheAmericanperspective,itismerelyoneinahostofsmall-scalewarsinNorthAmerica,andtheeventsof1812-1815aremostlyforgotteninthecollectivememoryoftheUnitedStates.Theauthorsof1812:AGuidetotheWarandItsLegacybelievethattheWarof1812wasanimportanteventinNorthAmericanhistorywithlastingconsequencesforCanadians,Americans,andFirstNations.Thisguidebook,publishedbytheLaurierCentreforMilitaryStrategicandDisarmamentStudies,usesmodernsatelliteimages,archivalrecords,paintings,andcontemporaryphotographstohelpreadersunderstandwhathappenedduringthewarandwhyithappenedthatway.Thebookincludesahistoricalsectionthatseekstoplaceeventsintheirstrategic,operational,andhumancontext.Atoursectionisdesignedtointroduceandguidereaderstokeylocationsofwarandmemoryandofferanexplanationofthefluidmemorythathasevolvedoverthelasttwohundredyears.TheWarof1812hasbeenforgotten,reimagined,andinventedanewmanytimes,andtheitinerariesoftheguideillustratethatever-changingprocessofcommemoration.
