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The War of 1812
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President Madison takes office
Americans were angry at Britain for arming Native Americans in the Northwest. Americans resented the continued impressment of American sailors by the British. To most Americans, the countrys homor was at stake. They felt a new sense of American nationalism(pride in ones country). Tension with Britain was high when James Madison took office. -
WarHawks Take Power
In 1810 nationalists, Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun became leaders in the House of Representatives. Clay, Calhoun, and their supporters were called war hawks (those who were eager for war with Britain). New Englanders belived war with Britain would harm American trade. Opposistion to war was strongest in New England. In New England many merchants wanted to restore trade with Britain, anti- British feeling went strong. -
Relations with Great Britain worsens
In the British told the United States they would continue impressing sailors. Native Americans begin new attacks on fronteir settlements. In June Congress declared war on Britain. Britain was not willing to meet American demands to avoid war.Providing Native Americans with support was one way of protecting Canada against an American invasion. -
Congress Declares war on Britain
President Madison at last gave into war fever. In June 1812, he asked Congress to declare war on Britain. The House voted 79 to 49 in favor of war. The Senate vote was 19 to 13. Americans soon discovered however, that winning the war would not be easy as declaring it. Many Americans welcomed the news of war on Britain. In some cities, they fired cannons and guns and danced in the streets. One New Jersey man wrote a song calling for a swift attack on Canada. -
Americas is not ready for war
The American declaration of war took the British by surprise. They were locked in a bitter struggle with Napoleon, and could not spare troops to fight the United States. Because Jefferson belived in a small federal government and had reduced spending on defence the United States was not ready for war. The navy had only 16 ships to fight against the huge British fleet. The army was small and ill equipped. Moreover, many of the officers knew little about the military. -
Britain Blockades American Ports
In the first days of war, the British set up a blockade of the American coast. By 1814, the British navy had 135 warships blockaiding American ports. After reinforcing their troops, the British were able to close off all American ports by war's end. A major sea battle was fought at the beginning of the war. In august 1812, the USS Constitution defeated the British Warship Guerrie`ere in a fierce battle. -
Invasion of Canada
American troops under General William Hull invaded Canada from Detroit. The British commander, General Isaac Brock and his army of British soldiers and Native American warriors quickly surrounded Hull's army and forced it to surrender. The British captured more than 2,000 American soldiers. It was a serious defeat for the United States. American forces had better luck on Lake Erie. Bothsides were aware of the importance of controlling the Lake. -
USS Constitution scores a victory
The USS Constitution defeated the British warship Guerri`ere in a fierce battle. According to tradition, American sailors nicknamed the constitution "Old Ironsides" because British artillery fire bounced off the ship's thich wooden hull. To the Americans, it seemed as if the Constitution were made of Iron. -
Battle of Lake Erie
In 1813, the Americans set out to win control of Lake Erie. Captain Oliver Hazard Perry had no fleet, so he designed and built his own ships. In september 1813, he sailed his tiny fleet against the British. During the Battle of Lake Erie, the British battered Perrys own ship and left it helpless. Perry took his flag down and rowed over to another American ship.There he raised the colors again and continued to fight. Finally, the Americans won the battle. -
Battle of Thames
During the battle, the American flagship was badly damaged. The American commander, Oliver Hazard Perry, switched to another ship and continued the fight until it was won. Perry announced his victory with a dramatic message:" We have met the enemy and they are ours." With Americans in control of the lake, the British were forced to leave Detroit and retreat back into Canada. As the British and their Native American allies retreated. -
Horseshoe Bend
Native Americans also suffered defeat in the south. In the summer of 1813, creek warriors attacked several southern American settlements Andrew Jackson took command of American forces in Georgia. In March 1814, Jackson defeated the creeks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. -
Washington D.C. Attacked and burned
In the summer of 1814, British ships sailed into Chesapeake Bay and landed an invasion force about 30 miles from Washington D.C. American troops met the British at Baldensburg, Maryland. President Madison himself watched the battle. To his dismay, the battle-hardened British quickly scattered the untrained Americans. -
Attack on Baltimore
The British first objective was Fort McHenry, Which defended the city's harbor. British warships bambarded the fort throughout the night of September 1, 1814. Francis Scott Key, a young American watched the attack. At dawn, Key saw the American flag still flying over the fort. The Americans had beaten off the attack. On the back of an old envelope, Key wrote a poem that he called the Star Spangled Banner. -
Writing of the Star Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key, a young American, watched the attack. At dawn, Key saw the American flag still flying over the fort. The Americans had beaten off the attack. On the back of an old envelope, Key wrote a poem that he called "The Star- Spangled Banner"! It told the story of his night's watch. The poem became popular and was set to music. In 1931, Congress made it the national anthem of the United States. -
Hartford Convention
In December 15, 1814 a group of Federalist met in Hartford, Connecticut. Some delegates to the Hartford Convention suggested that the New England secede, or withdraw, from the United States. While the delegates debated news of peace treaty arrived. With the war over, the Hartford Convention quickly ended. -
Treaty of Ghent
The treaty of Ghent was signed in the city of Ghent Belgium, on December 24, 1814. John Quincy Adams, one of the Americans at Ghent, summed up the treaty in one sentence: Nothing was adjusted, nothing was settled. Britain and the United States agreed to restore prewar conditions. The treaty said nothing about impressment or neutrality. These issues had faded due to the end of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. -
Battle of New Orleans
British soilders marched toward the American trenches. More than 2,000 British fell under the deadly fire of American sharpshooters and cannons. Only seven Americans died. All the United States, Americans cheered the victory at the Battle of New Orleans. Andrew Jackson became a national hero. His fame did not dim even when Americans later learned that the battle could have been avoided.
