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Americans were angry at Britian for arming Americans in the northwest. tensions were high when James Madison in 1809. Americans also resented the continued impressment of American sailors by Britian.
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Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and their supporters were called war hawks. The opposition to war was strongest in New England. many New Englanders believed war would harm American trade.
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Relations with Britain worsened steadily in the early months of 1812. In the spring, the British told the United States they would continue impressing sailors. Meanwhile, Native Americans in the Northwest began new attacks in frontier settlements.
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Presidents Washington, Adams and Jefferson had all worked hard to avoid war with Britain and France. Finally in 1812 the United States declares war on Britain.
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Jefferson's spending cuts had weakend the American miliarty strength. The navy had only 16 warships ready for action. The army was also small it had fewer than 7,000 men.
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In the first days of war British setup a blockade of the American coast. By 1814, the British navy had 135 warships blocking the American ports. After reinforcing the troops, the British were able to close off all American ports by war's end.
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Even before the war began, war hawks were demanding an invasion on Canada. They expected Canadians to welcome the chance to throw off British rule. In July 1812, American troops under General William Hull invaded Canada from Detroit. Hull was unsure of himself. Fearing he did not have enough soldiers, he soon retreated.
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The USS Constitution defeated the British warship in a fierce battle. According to tradition, American sailors nicknamed the Constitution "Old Ironsides" because British artillery fire bounced off the ship's thick wooden hull.
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American forces had better luck on Lake Erie. Both sides were aware of the importance of controlling the lake. A key three-hour battle took place at Put-In-Bay, in the western part of the lake.
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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.
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In August 1814, a British force marched into the city. Dolley Madison, the President's wife, gathered up the President's important paapers and fled the White House. The British set fire to several government buildings, including the White House. Americans were shocked to learn that their army could not defend Washington.
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On an old envelope, Francis Scott Key wrote a poem that he called "The Star-Spangeled Banner." It told the story of his night's watch. The poem became popular and was set to music. In 1931Congress made it the national anthem of the United States.
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In December 1814, a group of federalists met in Hartford, Connecticut. Some delegates to the Hartford convention suggested that the New England states succeed from the United States. While delegates debated, news of the peace treaty arrived. With the war over, the Hartford convention quickly ended.
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Peace talks began in Ghent, Belgium. On Christmas eve 1814, they signed the treaty of Ghent, which ended the war. The treaty returned things to the way they had been before the war.
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News of the treaty took several weeks to reach the United States. In fact the two sides fought one more battle. In January 1815 American forces under General Andrew Jackson won a stunning victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans.
