Don't miss it. It's an excellent program on the History Channel, well worth watching.  It doesn't cover but three campaigns in the War, beginning with the shame of panicking militia running from their burning capitol, to the British attack on Baltimore, and the last Chapter of a story which had already ended - the Battle of New Orleans.

The War of 1812 began as a second rebellion against the British.  National pride was hurt by the British practice of kidnapping American seamen from American ships and impressing them into the British navy.  The country was also cramped by British power and influence, which threatened America's expansion westward.

Canandians see the War differently.  To Canada, it was a War in which they repelled foreign invasions, gained a national identity, and avenged the humiliation of having Upper Canada's seat of power ransacked and burned by Americans.  The British probably saw it more as a nuisance than anything else, but it did put an end to whatever designs they had for regaining the lost colonies.

The show made me think differently of Fort Mchenry. I visited it in 1979.  It was impressive, but it was cold and lifeless.  I didn't get a feeling for what happened there in 1814. However, the segment about the British attack on Baltimore made Fort McHenry come alive with excellent reenactors and computer generated warships and artillery fire.  Don't miss it.

I give it thumbs up! :up: