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The War of 1812
Megan Murtha
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President Madison takes office.
James Madison took office in 1809. This was at the time when tensions between the America and Britain were starting to increase. It was also at this time that nationalism started to develop. This is when one has a sense of pride in one's country. -
War Hawks Take Power
The War Hawks refer to two men named Henry Clay of Kentucky and John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, and their supporters. The term "war hawks" refers to those who are eager for war with Britain. This eagerness was opposed in New England. New Englanders believed war would harm American trade. -
Relations with Great Britain Worsen
In the the esrly months of 1812 relations with Great Britain worsened. Tensions increased because the United States was unhappy about the impressment of American sailors by the British. Americans were also angry because the British were arming Native Americans. In June of 1812, Congress declared war on Britain. -
Congress Declares War on Britain
The relationship with Britain was becoming very tense in the beginning of 1812. Britain said that they would continue to impress American sailors. The Native Americans were armed by the British and were attacking Americans in the Northwast. In June, Congress declared war on Britain. -
America is not Ready for War
American thought that it was ready for war. Soon Americans realized that they were not ready. The American military had been weakened by spending cuts. American had only 16 warships and fewer than 7,000 men. -
Britan Blockades American Ports
In the beginning of the war the British set up a blockade along the American coast. The blockade was done to shut the port. It was to stop people or supplies from coming in or leaving the area. Eventually the British had 135 warships blockading American ports. -
Invasion of Canada
Congress declared war on Britain in June. This was not a good time for the British because they were still at war in Europe. Britain would not meet American demands. They armed Native Americans to protect Canada from an invasion from Americans. -
USS Constitution scores a victory
A major sea battle happened at the beginning of the war. On August 1812, the USS Constitution defeated the Guerriere, a British warship. The USS Constitution is nicknamed "Old Ironsides". It is nicknamed this because the British artillary fire bounced off the ships thick hull. -
Battle of Lake Erie
Americans and British fought for control of the Great Lakes. There was a key battle called Put-In-Bay. During the battle, the American flagship was damaged. Oliver Hazard Perry switched to another ship and fought until it was won. -
Battle of Thames
The British were forced to retreat back into Canada because they lost the Battle of Lake Erie. As the British retreated, with their Native American allies, they were pursued by Americans. General William Henry Harrison defeated them in the Battle of
Thames. -
Battle of Horseshoe Bend
This battle caused the Creeks to lose a lot of land as a result of the battle. The Cheek warriors attacked several Southern American settlements. Andrew Jackson took command of American forces and defeated the Creeks in 1814. -
Washington, D.C Attacked & Burned
The British decided to attack the nation's capitol. In 1814, a British force marched into Washington D.C. The British burned several government buildings including the White House. Dolly Madison managed to escape with the President's important papers. -
Attack on Baltimore
After burning the White House, the British moved on to Baltimore. They tried taking Fort McHenry. British warships attacked all night. At the end of the night, the American Flag was still there. On the back of an envelope, Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" about what he saw. -
The Writing of the Star Spangled Banner
The Star Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key. He observed that the American flag still flew after the battle at Fort McHenry. This meant that the Americans had held out against the attack. He wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" on the back of an old envelope. Congress declared it the national anthem in 1931. -
Hartford Convention
The Hartford Convention happened because some Americans were opposed to the war. They were upset at how much damage there was in New England. The delegates of this convention suggested that New England states should secede from the United States. When they received word of the treaty, the convention ended. -
Treaty of Ghent
In 1814 peace talks began in Ghent, Belgium. On Christmas Eve, the two sides signed the Treaty of Ghent. This ended the war. Things returned to how they were before the war. -
Battle of New Orleans
It took a long time for the news of the treaty signing to get back to the United States. Another battle was fought before they realized the war had ended. In January of 1815, General Andrew Jackson won the Battle of New Orleans against the British.
