Roundtable: Perspectives on the War of 1812 from the Collections of the Newberry Library
The Newberry will feature a spotlight exhibition, "The War of 1812 and the Great Lakes Region," in conjunction with the session.
The Newberry is approximately one mile north of the Sheraton; a taxi should cost less than $10. See the Newberry website, www.newberry.org, for public transportation directions.
Session Abstract
1812 proved a momentous year. In Europe, Great Britain battled the French armies of Napoleon, who also launched his ill-fated invasion of Russia that year. Ramifications of this conflict sparked the War of 1812, pitting the United States against Britain and against an American Indian alliance that hoped to block American expansion into the Northwest Territories. Politically, Jeffersonian supporters of the war encountered opposition by Federalists, a dispute that eventually ended the nation’s First Party System.
On the 200th anniversary of 1812, this panel will feature scholars in different historical subfields and disciplines who have worked extensively with the collections of the Newberry Library. They will briefly present their current research on aspects of the War of 1812 and its consequences, with a special focus on the sources used. The presentations will be followed by a roundtable discussion.