United States declared war against Great Britain, starting the War of 1812. Some people call the war the Second War of American Independence. The war ended December 24, 1814. Children could learn more at: War of 1812.
“Silent Night” was performed for the first time in a small Austrian town in 1818. Franz Xavier Gruber developed the melody, and Joseph Mohr wrote the lyrics. The original lyrics are in German, but it has been translated and performed in many other languages. The following site gives more information, as well as the lyrics in both German and English: Silent Night.
War of 1812 ended in 1814 when a peace treaty, the Treaty of Ghent, was signed in Ghent, Belgium. Representatives from the United States and Great Britain started negotiations in August and completed the details December 24th. The Senate ratified the treaty on February 16, 1815. Children can view a photograph of the original document and the detailed transcript of the treaty at: Treaty of Ghent.