1. Chapter 8, Section 3
The Coming of War

2. Violations of Neutrality
Trading overseas was profitable but very risky for American merchants
Ships had to travel vast distances often through violent storms
Risk of capture by pirates from the Barbary States of North Africa in the Mediterranean
USS Constitution
Large United States warship sent to end Barbary Pirate attacks

3. Violations of Neutrality
France and Great Britain go to war in 1803
Each side wants to stop the United States from supplying the enemy with goods
Each government designed laws to prevent American merchants from trading with the other
British and French navies captured American merchant ships searching for war supplies

4. Violations of Neutrality
Great Britain began searching American ships for British sailors who had run away from the British navy
Sometimes American sailors were captured by mistake and forced to fight in the British navy
Impressment
Attack on the Chesapeake
British ship Leopard stopped the United States ship Chesapeake and tried to remove sailors
The American captain of the Chesapeake refused
British took the sailors by force

5. The Embargo Act
Americans were unsure of how to react to Great Britain’s violation of United States’s neutrality
Some called for war while others favored an embargo
Banning of trade
Embargo Act
Banned all trade with other countries
American ships could not sail to foreign ports
American ports were closed to British ships

6. The Embargo Act
The effect of the law was devastating to American merchants
Northern states hit especially hard
The embargo damaged President Thomas Jefferson’s popularity
Strengthened the Federalist party
Angry merchants petitioned Jefferson to repeal the embargo
The Embargo had very little effect on Great Britain or France

7. Non-Intercourse Act
Banned trade only with Britain, France, and their colonies
Stated that America would resume trading with the first side that stopping violating US Neutrality
No more successful than the embargo act

8. Conflict in the West
Disagreements between Great Britain and the United States went beyond the shenanigans on the high seas
On the western frontier, British and Native Americans clashed with American settlers over land

9. The Conflict Over Land
In the early 1800’s, Native Americans in the old Northwest territory continued to lost their land as thousands of settlers poured into the region
United States gained this land in the Treaty of Greenville, but Native American leaders who did not agree to the treaty protested the settler’s arrival
Frustrated Native American groups considered what to do next
Britain saw an opportunity to slow American westward expansion
British agents supplied Native Americans with arms

10. Tecumseh Resists U.S. Settlers
Shawnee Chief
Brilliant Speaker
Warned other Native Americans about the dangers of settlers
Promoted unification of Native American peoples to resist settlers

11. The Battle of Tippecanoe
William Henry Harrison
Governor of Indiana Territory
Alarmed with Tecumseh’s activities
Was convinced that Tecumseh had British backing
William Henry Harrison and Tecumseh met face to face in 1810
Harrison insisted that Tecumseh follow the Treaty of Greenville
Tecumseh argued that the white settlers had no rights to Native American lands
Harrison warned Tecumseh not to resist the power of the United States

12. The Battle of Tippecanoe
Tecumseh journeyed south seeking the support of the Creek nation
During his absence, William Henry Harrison attacked
Battle of Tippecanoe
Native Americans launched an attack on Harrison’s camp on November 7, 1811
After an all day battle, Harrison’s soldiers forced the Native Americans to retreat and then destroyed Tecumseh’s village
The Native American defeat destroyed Tecumseh’s dream of a great Native American confederation
Tecumseh fled to Canada

13. Tecumseh’s Curse
Legend has it that after his defeat at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, Tecumseh placed a curse on the United States that every president elected in a year ending in “0” would perish in office
This curse came true when William Henry Harrison died in office in 1841 (elected in 1840) of pneumonia (also the nation’s shortest presidency)
From this point forward, every president elected in a year ending in “0”died in office, terminating with Ronald Regan (elected in 1980), who survived an assassination attempt

14. Call For War
Evidence of British support to Native Americans angered Americans
Many felt that Great Britain encouraged Tecumseh’s actions in the west

15. The War Hawks War Hawks Calls for war increased
Young members of Congress who took the lead in calling for war against Britain
Given the nickname by their political opponents
Many from the South and the West
Henry Clay (of Kentucky)
John C. Calhoun (of South Carolina)
Felix Grundy (of Tennessee)
Calls for war increased
Leaders wanted to put a stop to British influence among Native Americans
Wanted to invade Canada and obtain more land for settlement
Others angered by British trade restrictions

16. The Opposition
New England Federalists were the strongest opponents to the war
Business people and merchants there wanted to renew friendly business ties with Great Britain for economic purposes
Others argued that a war against Great Britain would be foolish
United States not yet ready
Small army and navy
Inability to mass produce military supplies

17. Declaring War
James Madison (father of the Bill of Rights) was elected President in 1808
In 1812, he decided that Congress must vote on the war
War Hawks won in Congress
War was declared against Great Britain (and for the first time ever in the nation)
War of 1812