The Treaty of Ghent officially ended the Anglo-American War of 1812, signed on December 24, 1814. Despite ongoing conflicts during the war, the treaty essentially restored the status quo ante bellum, meaning that the boundaries and relationships between the United States and Britain returned to what they were before the war. While the treaty did not address the underlying issues that had initially sparked the conflict, such as trade restrictions and impressment of American sailors, it marked a significant step toward improving relations and laid the groundwork for future cooperation between the two nations.