Editorial: Keeping the War of 1812 alive
Curators in Albany carefully unfurl the War of 1812 flag once used by the Albany Republican Artillery Credit: Tim Roske
It's coming up soon . . . but not so fast that you won't have time to plan for the bicentennial of the War of 1812. That's the one that befuddles many on grade-school history tests. To recap, it began on June 18 when the United States declared war on Britain over trade, territory and control of seas. We took on American Indians, British colonists in Canada and Britain itself, whose soldiers burned down the White House and the Capitol. The intense fighting inspired Francis Scott Key to write the "Star Spangled Banner." A lot of the fighting took place upstate, which is why Albany tucked a last-minute grant of $450,000 into last week's new state budget. That money will pay for historical re-enactments and to preserve monuments, all to attract tourists to places like Sackets Harbor, Ogdensburg and Plattsburgh. Just in case you're looking for things to do in August.
