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The Americans were angry at Britain for arming the Natives Americans in North West. They resented the continued impressment of the U.S. sailors by the British. The nation was not prepared to fight and took a beating.
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Calhoun, Clay, and supporters were eager for war with Britain. The War Hawks blamed Britain for the trouble with the Native Americans and decreased trade. The relations with Britain worsened over time due to Britain impressing sailors. By June of 1812 Congress declared war on Britain.
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In Spring, the British told the United States they would continue impressing sailors. Native Amercians in the North West began new attacks on the frontier. Britain was not willing to meet American demands to avoid war.
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Since Britain was not willing to meet Amercian demands war was unavoidable.The Americans were confidenst that they would win the war. It soon became apparent the U.S.Army and Navy spending reduction by Jefferson weakened its military. The British provided Native Americans with support which was one way of protecting Canada against an invasion.
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Jefferson's spending cuts had weakened American military strength. The navy had 16 war ships ready for action.The army has less then 7000 men. In first days of war the British already had a blockade of the American coast.
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There were 135 war ships blocking off the ports.A major sea battle was fought at the begining of the war.Which this made it hard for the many buisnesses to stay in busisess.
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American troops invaded Canada from Detroit under orders of General William Hull. General Hull later retreated from Canada. The British commander took advantage of this retreat by surrounding General Hull's army. This forced him to surrender to the British army.
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For nearly an hour the USS Constitution and Guerriere ships close in on each other. The Constitution fired a barrage of cannons that tore off both of the Guerriere ship masts. Meanwhile, British cannonballs bounced harmlessly off the reinforced hull of the Constitution.
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The Americans and British were aware of the importance of controlling the lake. A three hour battle was at Put in Bay in the western part of the lake. During the battle, the American flagship was damaged. The American Commander Oliver Perry switched to another ship until it was won.
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In the summer of 1813, Creek warriors attacked several southern American settlements. Andrew Jackson took command of American forces in Georgia. The treaty that ended the fighting forced The Creek warriors to give up millions acres of land.
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A British force marched into Washington D.C.then set many public buildings on fire including, The White House and the Capitol. Dolley Madison, the First Lady, gathered up the President's papers and fled the White House. This was the only time since the American Revolution that a foreign power captured and occupied the U.S. Capitol.
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On the back of an old envelope, Francis Scott Key wrote a poem that he called the "The Star Spangled Banner." It told a story of his nights watch during the battle at Fort McHenry. Because this poem became so popular Congress in 1931 made it the national anthem of the United states.
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A group of Federalists met in Hartford, Connecticut which suggested the New England States withdraw from the United States. While the delegates decided, news arrived of the Peace Treaty and so the convention quickly ended.
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Peace talks between the British and Americans began in Ghent, Belgium. On Christmas Eve of 1814 the two sides signed the Treaty of Ghent. By the signing of the treaty things went back to the way they were before the war.
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This was the final major battle of the War of 1812. Due to the news of the treaty taking several weeks to reach the United States; the two sides fought one more battle. American forces under General Andrew Jackson won a victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans.The Battle of New Orleans is widely regarded as the greatest American victory of the war.
