Which US president was in office during the War of 1812?

James Madison was the US president in office during the War of 1812. Madison served as the fourth president from March 4, 1809, through March 4, 1817, so the conflict began and ended during his two-term presidency.

The United States declared war on Britain on June 18, 1812, after disputes over maritime trade, British restrictions on American shipping, and the impressment of American sailors. Madison signed the declaration after Congress approved it, making the war a defining event of his administration. British forces later captured and burned Washington, D.C., in 1814, including the White House and Capitol.

The war ended with the Treaty of Ghent, signed in December 1814 and ratified in 1815. James Monroe became president after Madison left office in 1817, which explains a common mix-up: Monroe was Madison’s successor, not the president during the War of 1812. Thomas Jefferson preceded Madison and was not president during the conflict.