Opposition to the War of 1812 in Britain off war to continue to make money. Movements, such as the Friends of Peace, sprung up to oppose the war with France and the war with America. The last major point of opposition against the War of 1812 came when the British burned the White House, along with other public buildings in Washington, D.C, in August of 1814. Many argued that America deserved to be treated with the same wartime respect that the European powers received, especially when a battle did not involve Native Americans or American militia forces. Other feared it might weaken Britain’s position at the Congress of
History of Washington, D.C. problems, and plans for further construction to reach the Ohio River were abandoned. During the War of 1812, British forces conducted an expedition between August 19 and 29, 1814, that took and burned the capital city. On August 24, the British routed an American militia, which had gathered at Bladensburg, Maryland to protect the capital (see Battle of Bladensburg). The militia then abandoned Washington without a fight. President James Madison and the remainder of the U.S. government fled the capital shortly before the British arrived. The British then entered and burned the capital during the most notably destructive raid of