> I believe you payed a few extra dollars for the commemorative license plate.
I am absolutely 100% positive that I neither paid extra dollars for the War of 1812 commemorative license plate, nor was offered an option -- this was the "standard" plate in 2012, no other "standard" plate was available, this was what you got unless you wanted to pay for a "specialty" plate.
Perhaps in 2013-2016 it was different. Or perhaps if you already had a standard pre-2012 plate, you could pay to replace it with the commemorative one? But if you were getting new plates in 2012, you got this one as the default option. I am sure.
Other interesting historical facts about the War of 1812 include all the native indian nations who allied with Great Britain in the desperate futile hope that somehow they could stop their inexorable disposession and ethnic cleansing by the USA.
Indeed, it was the standard plate issued for several years (2010-2016). You could also pay a $20 fee to change from an existing plate to the 1812 commemorative one.
That was still in formation in 1812, but, yeah, I don't have any particular reason to think the native nations would have done better with a different outcome of the war of 1812, but I certainly understand why some nations figured it was worth a shot and they probably wouldn't do worse.
Anyway, I still don't want to advertise war on my license plate.
The natives in Canada probably didn't do much better in Canada between the war of 1812 and the Riel Rebellion, but it certainly helps now. British law said we couldn't settle the land without a treaty with the natives. This didn't really stop settlement but it does mean that some tribes have forced significant monetary settlements from the Canadian government. Some money for broken treaties, and some for settling without a treaty.
Good point. Canada just being generally a lot less populated by Europeans for whatever reasons than the USA (presumably in large part climate?) probably helped too, creating a context with slightly better outcomes.
But different legal regime under Great Britain -- and different position as colony of a European state vs independent "we're all we've got" -- does seem likely to be relevant, good call.
I suppose the best case for native nations in the War of 1812 would be that both USA and Great Britain get weakened and distracted from further colonization for as long as possible.
Everyone knew the world was round in the 15th century.
They had a good idea how far it was from Europe to the east coast of Asia going westwards.
They knew that an ocean going ship wouldn’t have enough provisions to make the journey.
Columbus thought the earth was far smaller and he would be able to make it. He was wrong. Fortunatly for him there was a large landmass in the way which meant he could get restock his provisions (water, food etc)
I am absolutely 100% positive that I neither paid extra dollars for the War of 1812 commemorative license plate, nor was offered an option -- this was the "standard" plate in 2012, no other "standard" plate was available, this was what you got unless you wanted to pay for a "specialty" plate.
Perhaps in 2013-2016 it was different. Or perhaps if you already had a standard pre-2012 plate, you could pay to replace it with the commemorative one? But if you were getting new plates in 2012, you got this one as the default option. I am sure.
Other interesting historical facts about the War of 1812 include all the native indian nations who allied with Great Britain in the desperate futile hope that somehow they could stop their inexorable disposession and ethnic cleansing by the USA.