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President Madison Takes Office
James Madison was a quiet, scholerly man. He helped write the Constitution. He helped pass the Bill of Rights. Like his predecessors,he wanted to stay out of war. He also wanted to get the impressed seamen from the British. -
Period: to
War of 1812
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War Hawks Take Power
War hawks had a strong sense of nationalism.Henry Clay was the most outspoken war hawk.The war hawks had many reasons for war. The war hawks thought that America was still being treated like a British colony. -
Relations With Great Britain Worsen
There was a brief naval battle in NY harbor in 1811.The war hawks wanted to take Canada.They also wanted to get revenge for the impressment of US seamen.The British were arming the Indians.The war hawks wanted to demonstrate that America was strong. -
America Goes to War With Britain
In 1812, Madison finally gave in to war fever.He asked Congress to declare war on Britain.New-Englanders dissapproved of "Mr. Madison's war".They threatened to secede from the union and create a seperate peace with Britain.However, president Madison soon found out America was not ready for war. -
America is Not Ready For War
Britain was surprised at the decloration of war.The British were already at war with France. The British got angry. Because of this,the British blockaded American ports. They blockaded all available waterways. Soon, the Americans tried to battle the blockade ships. -
Britain Blocks American Ports
America starts trading with France again.The British get very mad about this.Then the British make a blockade of ships.All available waterways are blocked.During the war, there were battles with these blockade ships. -
Invasion of Canada
The invasion was led by American general William Hull. His forces left from Detroit.He thought the invasion would be easy.There were very few untrained Canadians who were led by Isaac Brock.He was a very clever leader. He paraded around his army and let false information fall into American hands. It overestimated the number of Indians fighting alongside the British.Brock's scare tactics worked. -
USS Constitution scores a victory
The Constitution was out on patrol and came across the British ship HMS Guerriere. Both ships took an hour to get into position. The Constitution was ready first and pounded the British ship with cannonballs.Both masts were destroyed in the battle.The Constitution won the batle. -
Battle of Lake Erie
Captain Oliver Hazard Perry led the American fleet he built. The current ship he was using was battered, so he changed ships.On the new ship, he continued the battle.When he left the first ship he took the American flag with him.He put the flag up on the new ship and kept battling.He won.On the back on an envelope he put his victory message."We have met the enemy and they are ours". -
Battle of the Thames
The American general Harrison went after the British.There were also Native Americans there. The British were in Detroit. During the battle, Tecumseh was killed.This was bad for the Indian Confederacy. -
Horseshoe Bend
Andrew Jackson led the American forces.The Creeks lost to the Americans.The Cherokee helped fight the Creeks.The Creek leader came alone. He said he would still fight if he had a army.This was a major battle against the Indians. -
Washington DC, Attacked and Burned
The British landed a invasion force 30 miles away from Washington DC.President Madison watched the battle himself.The British met little resistance on the way to the capitol.Dolley Madison,President Madison's Wife, collected the important papers and a portrait of George Washington. Then she fled. The White House was not burned down, it was saved by the storm that came. -
Writing of the Star-Spangaled Banner
The poem was wrpte after the attack on Baltimore.Because the flag still flew high up,Francis Scott Key wrote the poem. It was eventually set to music and became the natoinal anthem of the Untied States of America. -
Attack on Baltimore
The attack lasted all night. The port was bombarded.When morning came, the flag was still waving above Fort McHenry.The British withdrew. The Americans won the battle. -
The Hartford Convention
The British blockade hurt New England.Most of the delegates at the convention were Federalists.Because of this,they did not like the president or the war.They threatened to leave the union and make a seperate peace with Britain.News of the peace treaty soon arrived, and the convention soon disbanded. -
The Treaty of Ghent
John Quincy was one of the Americans at the signing of the Treaty of Ghent.This peace treaty meeting was held in Ghent,Belgium.Adams siad"Nothing was settled".In 1818,America and Britain had a dispute over the US/Canada border.Some people thought winning the war would get the nation more respect. -
Battle of New Orleans
The Americans dug trenches to defend the city.The British lost 2,000 soldiers in the battle,while the Americans lost only seven men.The battle was the bloodiest battle of the war.Andrew Jackson led the American forces.
