Bard College History Professor Christian Ayne Crouch looks at the roots of the War of 1812, which she traces back to the Seven Years' War in the 1750s and 1760s. The New York Public Library hosted this event. 

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On June 18, 1812 the United States declared war on Great Britain. Hostilities continued until the Treaty of Ghent was ratified on February 16, 1815.  In this program, historian Anthony Pitch talks about his book, "The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814."

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A discussion on the War of 1812 with J.C.A. Stagg, a history professor at the University of Virginia and author of "The War of 1812: Conflict for a Continent." This event was hosted by the Maryland Historical Society.

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In 1812, Joshua Barney, a retired naval hero of the Revolutionary War proposed a plan for a fleet of American barges to defend the Chesapeake Bay area against the British. In August, 1814, Barney was forced to destroy & sink his fleet of 15 vessels in Maryland's Patuxent River to prevent their capture. The suspected flagship "Scorpion" was discovered under the river mud in 1979 and partially excavated. Now, underwater archaeologist Robert Neyland of the Navy History and Heritage Command is leading a team to further study the wreck. American History TV visited the river with Mr. Neyland to learn about the project, and visited the Navy's Underwater Archaeology lab in the Washington Navy yard where the artifacts are studied.

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This year is the Bicentennial of the start of the War of 1812. Donald Hickey talked about some of the myths that have lingered through history about that war at an event hosted at the Detroit Historical Museum. Mr. Hickey is the author of the book "Don't Give up the Ship! Myths of the War of 1812."

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The Battle of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words that eventually became the "Star Spangled Banner." The Maryland Historical Society hosted music historian David Hildebrand for a look at how the history of the Star Spangled Banner - and how writing and poetry became musical expressions of patriotism during and after the war of 1812.

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On June 18th, 1812, President James Madison signed a declaration of war against Great Britain, beginning the War of 1812.

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American History TV joined historian Carol Reardon and Col. Tom Vossler to learn the story of the three-day Battle of Gettysburg through a selection of their favorite monuments.

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The Siege of Vicksburg took place from May 18th to July 4th, 1863. After failing to take the city by force, Union General Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee laid siege to the city, held by Confederate General John C. Pemberton and his forces. On July 4th, after 47 days, General Pemberton surrendered; and Vicksburg—the last major Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River—was turned over to General Grant and the Union. In this program, we tour Vicksburg National Military Park with Tim Kavanaugh, the park's supervisory ranger for interpretation.

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The Civil War Battle of Chancellorsville was fought April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Many historians consider the battle to be Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s greatest victory. Facing a Union Army more than twice the size of his own, Lee divided his forces, sending 27,000 men under “Stonewall” Jackson on a 12-mile march to deliver a flank attack. In this program, we follow two National Park Service historians on a tour as they walk the same ground exactly 150 years after Jackson launched his attack.

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