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The Napoleonic War led to the British needing a extremely large navy, but they could not get enough people to volunteer. So instead, the British began to stop American ships and allege the people on board to be British citizens. They then forced the American sailors to join the British navy.
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Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality was made in response to the war happening in Europe. It stated that the U.S. should remain politically impartial, and that anyone who violates neutrality will be prosecuted and will not be protected if prosecuted by a foreign nation. Washington was afraid that getting involved in a foreign war would hurt America economically. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/neutrality-proclamation -
Washington sent John Jay to Britain to resolve the issues of the British seizing American ships and Britain's military presence in the northwest territory. The Jay Treaty agreed for America and Britain to hold up their deals from before the revolution in addition to the British stopping the seizure of ships. However, the Treaty did not actually accomplish anything besides preventing war, and the British continued to take American ships. -
Washington was retiring from his time as president, and he wanted to warn people about a few things regarding the country's well being. He emphasized the dangers of having political parties because they can cause a lot of division within the nation. He also warned the people about forming permanent alliances with foreign nations. Washington believed the U.S. should only be involved with other nations in commerce, not politics. -
Jenkin Ratford and four others deserted and became crew on the USS Chesapeake. The British wanted to make an example of them, so as the USS Chesapeake left Norfolk, it was intercepted by the HMS Leopard. When denied permission to search the ship, they open fired. Eighteen Americans were wounded, three were killed, and the British took the deserters. The attack enraged Americans. Jefferson could not retaliate with military, so he chose make the Embargo Act of 1807. -
Thomas Jefferson believed that an embargo was a moral alternative to war, so he cut off trade with all foreign nations. While this was supposed to stop France and Britain from taking American ships, it really only hurt America's economy and citizens. After the Non-Intercourse Act took its place in 1809, and then after Macon's bill No.2 took its place in 1810, Britain still would not lift trade restrictions. This is what led Madison to finally declare war. -
The War Hawks were a group of young Republicans that were excited about the coming war. They viewed it as a second war for independence and as a way to preserve American honor from the British's mistreatment. They were given the name "War Hawks" by Federalists that believed the new wave of Republicans were overzealous. -
Tecumseh initiated the Native American alliance with Britain shortly after Madison declared war. His goal was to spread the message to other Native American tribes to resist American expansion west. He claimed that the U.S. had no right to the Indiana territory. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/tecumseh -
James Madison declared war on the British because the Americans were tired of British impressment and their obstruction of trade. Southerners believed that these actions by the British tarnished America's honor, and they were eager to retaliate. The first major battle was the Battle of Queenston Heights on October 3, 1812. The American soldiers ended up surrendering to British and Canadian troops. -
Tecumseh died in the Battle of the Thames. The American side of the Battle was led by Major General William Henry Harrison who defeated the British and the Native American alliance. Since he was the leader of the northwestern Native American alliance with Britain, the alliance fell apart. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/tecumseh -
Before the Convention, Federalists were refusing to pay taxes and boycotting war loans because Federalists believed that the War of 1812 was being fought to help Napoleon. At the Hartford Convention, they suggested amendments to the Constitution that would limit Congress' power to wage war, regulate commerce, and admit new states to the nation. Others found out about what was discussed at the Convention, which led the Federalists to be labeled as traitors. Their reputation remained tarnished. -
The Treaty of Ghent was signed a few weeks before the battle of New Orleans. The reasons why the Americans declared war in the first place, impressment and British interference with trade, were not addressed in the Peace Treaty. The Treaty just officially ended the war and returned things to the way they were before. -
The British were equipped with a 10,000 man army, and the American army was an amalgamation of French pirates, Choctaw Indians, western militias, and freed slaves. The Americans were able to win the battle with very few casualties, whereas the British lost over 2,000. Though the war was already technically over with the Treaty of Ghent being signed two weeks earlier, it was an important victory.