Thinking Question What are “good”, or acceptable, reasons for a country to go to war?

The War of 1812

Causes of the War 1) Continuing conflict with Native Americans in the West – and Britain’s support for Native resistance against the U.S. 2) Interference with American shipping 3) Impressment of U.S. citizens by the British Navy 4) “War Fever” resulting from Western politicians’ repeated and vocal calls for war (and suggestion that the U.S. might take possession of Canada)

The March to War Battle of Tippecanoe – November, 1811 June, 1812 In the West, the war against Native Americans had been continuous since independence 1811 – Battle of Tippecanoe 1811-12: War Hawks in Congress press for a declaration of war against Great Britain Britain responded to the threat of war by offering to stop their interference with American shipping Britain was involved in a long and costly war with Napoleon’s France and could not really afford a second war News of Britain’s offer did not reach the U.S. in time – Congress had already declared war when the offer arrived June, 1812

The War of 1812: Phase One 1812-1814 October 1813 September 1813 1812 – 1814 (Britain still at war with France) Key Battles 1) Battle of Lake Erie September 1813 U.S. navy ends the British naval threat in the Great Lakes 2) Battle of the Thames River (southern Canada) October 1813 General Harrison invades Canada, defeating a combined force of British and Native Americans Ends the Native American threat in the Northwest Britain’s Success: Blockade of the entire U.S. coastline September 1813

The War of 1812: Phase Two

The War of 1812: Phase Two April 1814 – January 1815 September 1814 April 1814 – January 1815 (After the defeat of Napoleon) Key Battles 1) Battle of Lake Champlain (Vermont) September 1814 British invasion from the north is repulsed 2) Washington, DC and Baltimore August 1814 British burn the capital of Washington, DC U.S. Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor holds out against British attack August 1814

The Battle of New Orleans January 1815 Battle of New Orleans January 1815 Huge victory for United States; British invasion from the South is repulsed Andrew Jackson, the U.S. commander, becomes a war hero

The Treaty of Ghent Signed on December 24, 1814 Preserved the status quo from before the war: No territory changes hands Trade disputes are left unresolved

Results of the War 1) Native American resistance in the Northwest is effectively ended 2) Increased patriotism/unity in the country, for a brief time 3) British blockade forced the U.S. to begin to develop its own manufacturing capability 4) Andrew Jackson become a national celebrity