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The War of 1812
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President Madison Takes Office
When James Madison took office, tension with Britain was high. Americans were furious at Britain for arming Native Americans. Americans were also angry at Britain for the impressment of American sailors continuing. -
War Hawks Take Power
Two strong nationalists, Henry Clay of Kentucky and John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, became leaders in the House of Representatives. Clay, Calhoun, and their supporters were eager for war with Britain, thus receiving the name "war hawks." However, many New Englanders opposed the decision of war. -
Relations With Great Britain Worsen
Relations with Britain worsened steadily in 1812. In the spring of 1812, Britain told the United States that they would continue impressing sailors. Native Americans in the Northwest also began attacking frontier settlements. -
Congress Declares War On Britain
Presidents Washington, Adams, and Jefferson had all worked hard to not start a war with Britain. With the continued behavior of Britain towards the United States, tension quickly rose. Finally, Congress declared war on Britain. -
America is Not Ready for War
When the war began, Americans were sure that they would win the war, However, it became known that American was not ready for war. Jefferson's spending cuts had weakened the military. The navy had only 16 warships prepared for war. The army had fewer than 7,000 soldiers. -
Britain Blockades American Ports
In the early days of the war, Britain set up a blockade. By 1814, Britain's navy had 135 warships blockading American ports. After reinforcing their troops, Britain was able to close all American ports by the end of the war. -
Invasion of Canada
American troops under General William Hull invaded Canada from Detroit. Hull retreated, fearing he did not have enough soldiers. British commander General Isaac Brock took advantage of Hull's confusion. His army quickly surrounded Hull's army, forcing them to surrender. The British captured more than 2,000 American soldiers, making this a serious defeat for America. -
The USS Constitution Scores a Victory
A great sea battle was fought at the beginning of the war. The USS Constition defeated the British warship Guerriere in a fierce battle. American sailors nicknamed the Constitution "Old Ironsides" since British artillery fire bounced off the ship's thick wooden hull. To Americans it like the Constitution was made of iron. -
The Battle of Lake Erie
American forces had luck on Lake Erie. Both sides knew of the importance of controlling the lake. A three-hour battle took place at Put-In-Bay, in the western part of the lake. During the battle, the American flagship was severely damaged. The American commander, Oliver Hazard Perry, switched to a different ship and continued to fight until the battle was won. With Americans controlling the lake, the British were forced to depart from Detroit and retreat back to Canada. -
The Battle of Horseshoe Bend
Native Americans dealt with defeat in the South. In the summer before, Creek warriors attacked many southern American settlements. Andrew Jackson took command of American forces in Georgia and defeated the Creeks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. The treaty the ended the conflicts forced the Creeks to give millions of acres of their land. -
Washington D. C. Attacked and Burned
The new British strategy was to weaken the nation's capital, Washington D. C. A British force entered the city. Dolley Madison, the First Lady, saved her husband's (who was the President) important papers and fled the White House. The British burned many government buildings, including the White House. Americans were stunned to learn that their army could not defend Washington. -
The Writing of "The Star Spangled Banner"
At night, when the British bombarded Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Francis Scott Key, an American, witnessed the attack. The next morning, Key saw the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry. The Americans had defended the fort. On an envelope, Key wrote a poem entitled "The Star-Spangled Banner. It told the story of his night's watch. The poem became known and was set to music. In 1931, "The Star-Spangled Banner" became the national anthem of the United States. -
The Hartford Convention
From the beginning, some Americans didn't favor the War of 1812. New Englanders in particular disliked the the war, mainly because the blockade had severely damaged New England trade. So, a group of Federalists met in Hartford, Connecticut. Some delagates who attended the Hartford Convention suggested that New England could secede from the United States. During the debate, new of the peace treaty came. With the war over, the Hartford Convention ended. -
The Treaty of Ghent
By 1814, Britain became tired of war. Talks of peace began in Ghent, Belgium. The two sides signed the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war. The treaty returned things to its normal state. -
The Battle of New Orleans
New of the treaty took many weeks to reach the United States. In that time, America and Britain fought one more battle. American forces under General Andrew Jackson won a great victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans.
