1. War of 1812

2. US relations with Britain were strained in the early 1800’s
Britain’s blockade of Europe hade resulted in the seizing of more than 1,000 American ships and their cargoes.
Impressment – Americans captured at sea were drafted into the British Navy
 Chesapeake Incident – When the British were denied their request to search the Chesapeake for deserters, they opened fire on the boat killing three Americans and injuring 18.
Embargo Act of 1807 – The US attempted to punish the British by cutting off exports. The embargo was lifted in 1809.

3. Tecumseh’s Confederacy
During the early 1800’s many Native American tribes were persuaded to give up territory to the US government. (General William Harrison)
Shawnee Chief Tecumseh thought the best method for protecting Native American territory and interests was to form a confederacy of tribes who pledged to resist US expansion.
Tecumseh negotiated with the British to form an alliance should war break out.

4. War Hawks – “On to Canada”
The Shawnee, without Tecumseh’s approval, attacked Harrison’s troops in Harrison and his troops defeated the Shawnee at the Battle of Tippecanoe.
  After the battle, US troops found that the Shawnee had been supplied with arms from British Canada.
War Hawks – Young Congressmen from the south and west called for war with Britain. They were led by Senator John Calhoun of South Carolina and the Speaker of the House, Henry Clay of Kentucky.

5. Madison Decides to Go to War
James Madison was elected president in 1808 as a Democratic Republican
Madison became convinced that Britain was attempting to destroy the US economy, so in June of 1812 he asked for and received a war declaration from Congress

6. The War
Many Native Americans sided with the British as a method to stop US expansion.
Tecumseh was killed at the Battle of the Thames in 1813.
By 1813 the British had blockaded most of the east coast of the US.
In retaliation for burning York (Toronto), the British burned the White House, Capital Building, and other public structures in DC. Madison and Congress were forced to flee.

7. End of the War of 1812
The Treaty of Ghent -On Christmas Eve 1814, the Treaty of Ghent was signed.
Andrew Jackson -Tennessean general Andrew Jackson won a series of battles against the British near the end of the war. Jackson’s greatest victory came in the Battle of New Orleans when he defeated a larger British force. Ironically, the victory came two weeks after the Treaty of Ghent.