COMMEMORATING THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR OF 1812

WHEREAS, on June 18^th, 1812 President James Madison signed a declaration of war against Great Britain, officially signaling the start of the War of 1812; and

WHEREAS, the War of 1812 stands as an important part of United States and Great Britain’s history; and 

WHEREAS, the War of 1812 includes numerous battles including when the British famously captured Washington and set fire to both the Capitol building and the White House; and

WHEREAS, the cities of New York, New Orleans, Baltimore famously repelled invading forces during the war, and numerous other cities fought their own battles as well as contributing forces and resource to this battle; and

WHEREAS, in September 1814 when the British set their sights on Baltimore, Fort McHenry in Baltimore was bombarded for 25 hours, the Fort McHenry remained standing and proved to be significant turning point in the war; and

WHEREAS, the sight of the fort enduring throughout that long night of bombardment inspired Francis Scott Key to write what would later become the lyrics to “the Star-Spangled Banner”; and

WHEREAS, on December 24, 1814 the Treaty Ghent was signed to end the war by diplomats representing the two countries, and later ratified by both the British and the United States setting the stage for an important relationship to be formed; and

WHEREAS, the United States and Great Britain have joined together numerous times including during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, and the Gulf War; and

WHEREAS, Great Britain continues to be a strong ally of United States supporting most of our efforts in the Middle East over the past decade.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the U.S. Conference of Mayors acknowledges the 200^th Anniversary of the War of 1812; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, the U.S. Conference of Mayors celebrates the special relationship that has flourished between the United States and England, one of our most steadfast and important international allies.