1. War of 1812

2. Canada and the War The War of 1812 was Canada’s War of Independence For the British: it was an annoying distraction at a time when it was fighting the French Emperor Napoleon. For the American’s: It was a war of conquest For the Canadian’s: One of survival Between 1812 – 1814, Canada won the right to not be American

3. What goes around comes around…  Louis XVI  Helped the Americans with their American Revolution  Now, he finds himself swept away by a revolution of his own  Erupted in France in 1789  During the French Revolution, Louis and his wife Marie Antoinette had their heads chopped off by a guillotine  A ruthless little general named Napoleon seized power and launched France on a European war of conquest.

4. Important to Note:  The French Revolution led to the Napoleonic Wars of 1793 – 1815  The War of 1812 was the North American phase of this conflict.  With Britain bogged down in Europe fighting Napoleon, the Americans said to themselves, “This is our chance to capture Canada!”

5. “Free trade and sailors’ rights!” O The Americans also had some genuine grievances with the British O The British had placed France under a naval blockade, preventing France from trading with the United States O Britain captured nearly 400 American vessels, often within sight of the U.S. coast.

6. Continued… O The British Navy had also asserted its right to board foreign ships and press any British citizens they found into military service. O In 1807, they fired upon a U.S. vessel, the Chesapeake, killing several men, before boarding the ship and arresting four so-called deserters – two of whom were American citizens. Britain later apologized, and released the Americans but the damage had been done.

7. Chesapeake

8. America and 1812 O American history books usually portray the United States as the underdog in 1812. O Why? O Because they were up against the British Empire O This isn’t entirely accurate. O Great Britain was tied up in Europe, leaving Canada poorly defended and exposed.

9. There’s more… O Consider the real odds: O Population of the United States: 7.5 million O Population of Upper Canada: less than 800 000 O The entire population of the British North American colonies combined: less than 1 million O How could the Americans possibly lose?

10. March away! O Thomas Jefferson, now retired, advised President Madison that the conquest of Canada would be “a mere matter of marching.” O Henry Clay, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, boasted that the Kentucky militia alone would be enough to deliver Canada. O Wasn’t that the dream of every Canadian to one day become a citizen of the United States?

11. WAR! O On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain and made immediate plans for the Conquest of Canada O Remember, Canada didn’t exist as a separate country at this point.

12. The War in Upper Canada O The original Loyalist population of Upper Canada had been swamped by a flood of American settlers whose true loyalty remained in doubt. O Would the newcomers side with America? Or Canada? O Fortunately (for Canada), the U.S. forces were very poorly organized and launched scattered attacks rather than focusing their approach. O Most of the battles took place along the boarder between the United States and the British North American Colonies (Canada)

13. Two Master Tacticians O General Isaac Brock O The man in charge of defending the colony from the American invaders O A brilliant strategist and an inspiring leader O Was long remembered as the fallen hero and savior of Upper Canada.

14. Tactician #2 O Tecumseh O A Shawnee chief that was allied with the British O Main Goals: O Stop American expansion into Native territory O Secure a self-governing First Nations Confederacy in the interior. O He brought together dozens of different Nations and fought along side the British for tactical reasons, not loyalty.

15. O Brock held Tecumseh in high regard O Called him “a sagacious (wise) and gallant (gracious) warrior” O Tecumseh, in turn, admired Brock’s fierce determination O Legend has it that when they first met face-to-face, Tecumseh turned to his men and said, “This is a man!” O Together, as friends, allies, and equals, the British general and the Shawnee chief would save Upper Canada

16. “Join us!” O On July 12, 1812, American General William Hull marched 2 500 men out of the fortified walls of Detroit and into Upper Canada. O The invasion had begun. O Hull was confident that the Canadians would flock over to the American side. O They didn’t!

17. O Brock had an idea – there weren’t very many British soldiers so he dressed Canadian militia in the red coats of the regular army to make them seem like they were professional soldiers. O He also knew that the Americans were terrified of the Natives, so Brock and Tecumseh used this to their advantage O Tecumseh paraded his men in front of the American Garrison O Then, led them through the woods to join the end of the line again O Then, marched pass again. O Tecumseh marched the same men by three times and the Americans never caught on O American’s estimated Tecumseh’s forces ranged as high as 3000 warriors. He had fewer than 600 men.

18. The Capture of Detroit O The Americans didn’t know what hit them. O At their post on Mackinac Island, at the northern tip of Lake Huron, they woke up to find themselves surrounded by British soldiers, French-Canadian voyageurs and some 300 Native Warriors. O The fort surrendered without a shot being fired.

19. The Capture of York (Toronto) O November 1812 O The Americans had gained control of Lake Ontario O The following spring, a fleet of American vessels landed at York, the village capital of Upper Canada O More than 1 700 American soldiers poured ashore. O British troops were slaughtered on the beaches

20. York O The rest fled, under the command of Roger Sheaffe – but not before setting the York munitions (weapons) building on fire. O They did not want their stock of gunpowder to fall into American hands. O The explosion killed dozens of Americans, including their leader, General Zebulon Pike. O In retaliation, the American troops spent the next few days looting and pillaging the town. O Sheaffe, who took over when Brock died, was denounced “cowardice” even though he both denied the Americans weaponries and had lived to fight another day.

21. Laura Secord: “The Americans are coming!” O The real Laura Secord O looked nothing like the frail Southern belle that adorns boxes of Laura Secord Chocolates. O She was a pioneer and a mother of five who husband had been wounded and left for dead during the Battle of Queenstone Heights. O She had gone to the battlefield, found him, and taken him home. O While nursing him back to health, the Americans arrived and took command of their homestead.

22. Laura Secord O She overheard the officers discussing their plans for a surprise attack at Beaver Dams O The following morning she set off on an epic 32 kilometer trek across the war zone to warn the British. O After being tipped off by Laura, Lieutenant James FitzGibbon set up an ambush at Beaver Dams (now Thorold, Ontario) O The Americans surrendered and almost 500 were taken prisoner.

24. Burn, Washington! Burn! O Why is the White House white? O Because we burned it, that’s why. O Well, the British did. O In August 1814, and in direct retaliation for what the Americans had done in York, the British captured and burned Washington, D.C. O The attack came as a complete surprise O President Madison and most of his defending army ran away so fast the battle became know, sarcastically, as “a race”. O The British spent the next two days ransacking the U.S. capital and torching the public buildings. O The President’s own residence was badly damaged and the walls scorched O It was rebuilt and the exterior was painted with whitewash. O It became know as “the white house”.

26. Battle of New Orleans O You know that American song about how they fired their funs and the British “started runnin’”?American song O They’re referring to the Battle of New Orleans O Occurred on January 8, 1815 O The Americans won the Battle of New Orleans O Under the command of Colonel Andrew Jackson O However, this battle happened after the Treaty of Ghent was signed by U.S. and Britain on December 24, 1814 to end the War of 1812 O So, this battle meant very little

27. So, Who Won? O Americans thought they won. O They’re right, but not in the military sense. O They didn’t even come close to their goal – the conquest of Canada O War is, after all, a political tool O The U.S. lost a war and won a conference O Britain’s First Nation allies were completely shut out of the negotiations O So were the Canadians O The Americans refused to allow either at the bargaining table O The U.S. came away with their sovereignty (authority) reaffirmed

28. The Final Score O The Americans won O The Canadians broke even O The First Nations lost