The War of 1812

Causes of the War- Violation of U.S. Neutrality U.S. point of view: Violation of U.S. neutrality at sea Trouble with the British on the western frontier Britain and France at war- did not care about U.S. neutrality Seized American ships for supplies to fight their war Most Americans: remembered Britain as a cruel enemy during the Revolution and remembered France had helped us out in that war British violations of U.S. neutrality were the worst- they impressed U.S. sailors into their navy

Causes of the War- Frontier Pressures American settlers gradually pushed Native Americans farther and farther west Blamed the British for instigating Native American rebellions against settlers Shawnee brothers Tecumseh and Prophet attempted to unite all tribes east of the Mississippi in an effort to defend their land from further encroachment

Causes of the War- Frontier Pressures White settlers persuaded governor of Indiana Territory to take action Gen. William Henry Harrison Battle of Tippecanoe (1811)- Harrison destroyed the Shawnee headquarters and put an end to Tecumseh’s efforts to form a Native American confederacy British provided limited aid to Tecumseh Americans still blamed them for starting the rebellion

War Hawks 1810- Election brings a new group of young Democratic-Republicans into Congress Known as the war hawks- eager to go to war with Great Britain Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun War with Britain was the only way to: Defend American honor Gain lands in Canada Destroy Native American resistance on the western frontier

Declaration of War British don’t really listen to U.S. demands to stop violating neutrality at sea + political pressure from war hawks = Madison declaring war against Great Britain Ironically, Britain had agreed to suspend its naval blockade by this time (June 1812) News of Britain’s decision reached the White House AFTER war was declared Madison wins reelection in 1812, but Congress nor Americans are united in support of the war

“Mr. Madison’s War” New England merchants most opposed to the war Making a lot of money off the war between Great Britain and France Did not see impressment as a big problem Religious ties to Protestantism (most British were Protestant) Federalists viewed the war as Democratic-Republican scheme to conquer Canada and Florida Thought they were trying to increase Democratic-Republican voting strength Some Democratic-Republicans opposed the war also Thought it violated their commitment to limited federal power and maintaining peace

Military Defeats Madison’s military strategies for victory were based on two things: Napoleon’s continued success against the British in Europe A U.S. land campaign against Canada A three-part invasion of Canada (and other attempts at invasion) was easily repelled by the British 1813- American raid and burning of government buildings in modern-day Toronto only encouraged more violent retaliation from the British

Naval Battles 1812- U.S. warship Constitution (“Old Ironsides”) raised American morale by defeating/sinking a British ship off the coast of Canada American privateers captured numerous British merchant ships British navy successfully established a blockade around the U.S. coast Crippled trading and fishing

Naval Battles 1813- most important naval battle took place on Lake Eerie American victory Led the way for Gen. William Henry Harrison’s victory at the Battle of Thames River Tecumseh was killed in this battle 1814- British fleet was defeated on Lake Champlain British retreated, abandoned their plans to invade New England

Chesapeake Campaign Spring 1814- Napoleon defeated in Europe British focus their forces on fighting the U.S. Summer 1814- British army marched through D.C. Set fire to the White House, Capitol, and other government buildings

Chesapeake Campaign British also attempted to take Baltimore Fort McHenry held out after a night of bombardment by the British This event was immortalized by Francis Scott Key in his poem, “The Star Spangled Banner” Our national anthem!

Southern Campaign U.S. troops in the South commanded by Gen. Andrew Jackson March 1814- Gen. Jackson leads Americans to victory at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend (present-day Alabama) Eliminated the Creek nation; opened these lands to white settlers

Southern Campaign British effort to control the Mississippi was halted by Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans Led a force of white soldiers, free African Americans, and Creoles Impressive victory but meaningless- occurred two weeks AFTER a treaty ending the war was signed in Ghent, Belgium…

The Treaty of Ghent 1814- British were weary of war Had been fighting Napoleon for over ten years; wanted to maintain peace in Europe President Madison realized Americans would be unable to win a decisive victory Christmas Eve, 1814- an agreement was reached between American and British diplomats

The Treaty of Ghent Terms of the treaty: Stop all fighting Return any conquered territory to the country it belonged to before Reestablish the pre-war boundary between Canada and U.S. Treaty never addressed the initial causes that started the war in the first place Britain did not compromise on anything concerning impressment or blockades The war ended in a stalemate without a victory for either side

The Hartford Convention Radical Federalists in the New England were threatening to secede from the Union because of the war December 1814- a special convention was held to discuss the possibility in Hartford, Connecticut Eventually rejected the idea of secession but proposed ideas to limit Democratic- Republican power in Congress (two-thirds vote from both houses to declare war) News of the Battle of New Orleans and the Treaty of Ghent ended criticisms of the war Federalists got even weaker- they were stamped as unpatriotic because of the Hartford Convention and calls for secession

The War’s Legacy U.S. gained the respect of other nations having fought two wars with Great Britain U.S. accepted Canada as a part of the British Empire Federalist party came to an end (denounced for talks of secession) Talks of nullification and secession set a precedent that would be later used by the South

The War’s Legacy Native Americans were essentially abandoned by the British- forced to surrender more lands to white settlers British naval blockade forced more factories to be built in the U.S.- pushed the country towards becoming more industrially self-sufficient War heroes like Jackson and Harrison would become the new generation of political leaders A feeling of nationalism (pride in one’s country) grew stronger as many began to believe our country’s future was in the West and away from Europe