Our 1st declaration of war was 200 years ago today, June 1, 1812, to start The War of 1812. This was was against Great Britain. This was back when war required a formal congressional declaration, unlike the permanent warfare state we have been in since The Korean War (1950-2012 and continuing).
This war has absolutely no votes from the Federalists in congress, and only 61 % of congressmen and 59 % of senators voting in favor.
It was a strange name for a war that lasted almost 3 years, since in the name it is described as a war that lasted a year, and in the year 1812.
Was had 2,260 servicemen killed in action and 4,505 wounded, which is much less than our current Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We claim to have won the war, but actually it was a stalemate. However, our Capitol building which the Congress and Supreme Court resided and White House was burned, but not burned down to the ground. They were actually rebuilt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/...