The signing of the Treaty of Ghent in 1814 marked the end of the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain. Negotiated in Ghent, Belgium, the treaty restored the status quo ante bellum, meaning that territorial boundaries returned to what they were before the conflict. The treaty did not address the underlying issues that had led to the war, such as trade restrictions and impressment of American sailors, but it effectively ended hostilities and allowed for improved relations between the two nations in the future. The War of 1812 is often considered a formative event for American nationalism.