The War of 1812 acts as a magnifying glass through which social and political issues in the new nation. The differences between the John Bull allegories of 1774, 1792 and 1812 indicate how the War of 1812 gave Paulding an added impetus to sharpen his perception of the Anglo-American relationship. Steven Watts described the War of 1812 as 'a vehicle for the forces of change and offering an outlet for the anxieties of a changing society'. To Watts, war is 'more than foreign affairs, strategic manoeuvre, or power politics', rather he believes that something else is involved, a 'dynamic of social psychology, cultural aspiration, and sense of collective experience'. The War of 1812 certainly provided a dynamic context in which to review and express complex views of England. Although wartime rhetoric was heavily connected to the partisan politics of the previous decade, pro-British forces came out even more strongly in favour of the British efforts against Napoleon.