A few years back I had purchased a DVD set called, The War of 1812. This was produced by the History Channel. If you come across this little gem, you might want to consider buying it. I think it is out of production now but they can still be found on the internet.
It is a 2 DVD set. The first DVD documents the War of 1812 and in my opinion, it is beautifully filmed. You really get a feel of that time period, and it fills you with a sense of awe at how the events transpired. I learned a lot about this war and it's significance by watching this video. As the scholars they interviewed stated, the war of 1812 galvanized the American people into a Nation. One goes as far to say that the outcome of this war marks the true American Independence Day.
The second DVD has content that includes more detailed information about the Battle for New Orleans. Other content includes the history and development of ironclad ships, and how they were used in the American Civil War. Lastly, they outline what life was like living on the warships of that time, and they give a little history about Oliver Perry's miraculous victory against the British in the Battle of Lake Erie.
For people with kids, this is a great learning tool. For adults, it is a great reminder of our early American history. The DVD is full of reenactments, excellent illustrations, and even some actual photos from when photography made its day. The latter being mostly Civil War era. For ship lovers, the Ironclads segment is really something to enjoy.
One note: Roger Daltrey does the segment about what life was like on board of the ships of that time, and this also includes a brief synopsis of Oliver Perry's battles. Daltrey uses some bad language and off color jokes that are not suitable for kids. That is a real shame because the rest of the material is really informative. From cooking, sleeping, fighting, tying knots, and even climbing the rigging to set the sails.
For me, this is a real gem, and I pull it out once a year to remind myself of the immense sacrifices that were made that give us the freedom that we now enjoy. I seem to enjoy it more with each years viewing.
For what it is worth.
