Sept. 10, 2013 –  Celebrating lasting peace between the United States, Great Britain, and Canada, a monument to that peace soars 352 feet in the sky on an island in Lake Erie. It’s the only international peace memorial within the National Park Service system of memorials and monuments.

200 years ago today, Commodore Oliver Perry won a key battle in the War of 1812 – the Battle of Lake Erie. Great Britain and the United States were at war over America’s westward expansion, northern borders, and maritime issues. Canada was under British control. Native Americans mainly fought with the British and Canadians since the British promised them a separate territory if victorious.

Would the United States extend its border north into Canada? Would the British be able to check American expansion west? Would the United States be able to stop the British from the practice of impressment, the capture of American ships and sailors? War was being fought to answer those questions.

    The International Peace Memorial is a Doric column located just 5 miles from the border with Canada. It is 352-feet high, taller than the Statue of Liberty. Note the “Don’t Give Up the Ship” flag flying next to the memorial. Perry raised a similar flag as he went into battle with the British on Sept. 10, 1813. The flag was in honor of his friend James Lawrence who was mortally wounded in battle on June 1, 1813 and said: “Don’t Give Up the Ship” as he was being carried to his quarters. (Photo: SNN)

Perry’s important victory in Lake Erie on Sept. 10, 1813 set the stage for General William Henry Harrison’s land victory in October at the Battle of the Thames. With these key victories, peace negotiations began in Ghent, Belgium in early 1814 to bring an end to the war.

Even though the British took control of Washington D.C. in August 1814 setting fire to the White House and many other buildings, their failure to capture the port city of Baltimore in September brought the war to an end. Francis Scott Key could not have known that when he saw the Stars and Stripes still flying in “dawn’s early light” over Fort McHenry on Sept. 14, 1814 that Canada, Great Britain and the United States would begin a peace that has lasted almost 200 years.

The Treaty of Ghent was signed by Great Britain and the United States on December 24, 1814. Terms of the treaty essentially returned all borders and conditions to what existed before the war. In Latin, it is called status quo ante bellum.

    With the International Peace Memorial in the background, a Tall Ship sails on Lake Erie during the reenactment of the Battle of Lake Erie on Sept. 2, 2013. (Photo: SNN)

A lasting peace between the three countries from two continents is remarkable in its tenacity. Today the border between the United States and Canada is the longest undefended, peaceful border in the world.

    The 19th century met the 21st century on Sept. 2, 2013 when over 2,000 pleasure boats came to watch the reenactment of the Battle of Lake Erie. (Photo: SNN)

Many efforts to build a monument to that lasting peace finally came to fruition when construction of the International Peace Memorial began in 1912 as a tribute to the centennial of the war and key battles. It is located just 5 miles from the Canadian border. The memorial opened in 1915 at Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. It became part of the National Park Service in 1936.

Under the floor of the monument, three British and three American officers killed during the Battle of Lake Erie on Sept. 10, 1813 are buried. Perry demanded that in death, British and American officers were to be treated equally.

Tonight President Obama is scheduled to address the nation about the crisis in Syria. World leaders have sought peace for years throughout the Middle East. The world hopes that construction of another International Peace Memorial will be needed soon.

INQUIRY QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the Treaty of Ghent in terms of status quo ante bellum. Research each of those Latin words. Explain them separately and then as an overall description of the treaty.

2. Is there a monument or building in your area that is about the same height as the International Peace Memorial? How tall is your school building? Compare, in quantitative terms, the height of your school to the monument.

7. Below is a fun animation from cgpgrey.com explaining the U.S.-Canadian border. After watching it, summarize the key points.