The War of 1812

The War of 1812

Unlike the Revolution, no grand issues of fundamental rights would be fought over in the War of 1812. Instead the U.S. would battle an old enemy for the right to be left alone. Americans wanted to trade on the seas and to be left alone to grow west of the Mississippi and beyond.

The British did not agree. Having lost the Revolution to the upstart colonists, they were as yet unwilling to lose the entire American continent. The conflict that began in 1812 would set the limits of British power in North America once and for all.

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- 1804 Jefferson wins 2nd term (thanks to La purchase)

- Napoleon uses his “Continental Plan” - Britain not allowed to sell anything to Europe

--Britain decides to blockade France shipping.- that includes seizing some 1000 American ships- France seizes American ships too…Impressement-Jefferson decides Embargo 1807 - ban on exporting anything to any country.- Wildly unpopular and ineffective. Rescend 1809

Native Americans under Tecumseh of the Shawnee tried to halt white encroachment. Tecumseh: brilliant strategist and skilled diplomat.Aided by brother Prophet. Tried to negotiate w/ British for assistance in NA war against Americans.

Tecumseh (Shooting Star) of the Shawnee

War Hawks

• While Tecumseh away, brother Prophet attacks American troops

• Gen. Wm. Henry Harrison fought with Shawnee NA at Battle of Tippecanoe.

• Made Gen. Harrison a hero

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War Hawks

• Discovered the NA were using arms supplied by British!

• Senators want war. They are from the South and West. Known as war hawks– Sen. John Calhoun

(SC)

– Henry Clay (Ky)

– “On to Canada”

Election of 1808 - War of 1812

• James Madison• Va• Democratic-

Republican

• By 1812 (2nd term) Madison decided war with Britain was necessary

•Believed Britain was strangling American trade and cripple the American economy

•War declared June 18, 1812.

Strategy• American military unprepared• Decided to take Canada not

because they thought they could win but because they thought that was were Britain was the weakest.

• Failed to take Montreal, Canada• Did take Detroit, then lost it• NA ally with Britain and some

ally with U.S.• Tecumseh with British - killed

at Battle of Thames 1813

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War at Sea

• New U.S. navy - dozen frigates, 200 small boats against mighty British navy of 600 warships

• Old Ironsides The Constitution

• British blockade Chesapeake and Delaware Bays

• Most American ships bottled up in port

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• By end of 1812 the Americans had largely experienced defeat

• Campaign filled with “ disaster, defeat, disgrace, and ruin and death.”

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In the War of 1812, the U.S. cap-tured and burned the Canadian city of York. Find York on the map.

British Burn the White House

• 1814. Entered Washington D.C.

• Dolly Madison saves THE portrait of G. Washington

• Because U.S. had burned gov’nor’s mansion in York, Canada the British burned the U.S. White Hous

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The British next moved to take Ft. McHenry near Baltimore, MD. They bombarded the fort with cannonballs fired from land and nearby ships.

Aboard the British flag-ship was an American prisoner of war, Dr. Beanes. A lawyer friend of his, Francis Scott Key, rowed out to the British ships.

He asked the British to let Dr. Beanes go. The commander agreed, but said they must remain aboard until morning.

Francis Scott Key did not sleep that night as the British guns pounded Ft. McHenry. From the deck of the warship he could see the flash of guns firing away. Could the Americans hold out? During the night, Francis Scott Key asked himself that question many times.

The night gave way to dawn. Key peered through the haze and smoke. When the air cleared, he saw the stars and stripes were still there. The British had failed to capture Ft. McHenry.

Key wrote down his experience in a poem. It was later set to music and is now known as our “Star-Spangled Banner.”

O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming,Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fightO'er the ramparts we watch'd were so gallantly streaming? (defensive barrier) And the rocket's red glare, the bomb bursting in air,Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,O say does that star-spangled banner yet waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Battle of New Orleans

• Gen Andrew Jackson (Tn) tromped through south -

• Defeated Creek NA. Destroyed NA power base in the south

• Biggest victory AFTER was was over.

• Jan 8, 1815 Battle of New Orleans.

• He’s a hero

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Treaty of Ghent

• Signed Dec. 25, 1814

• Armistice

• 1815 commercial treaty reopens trade b/w Br. And U.S.

• 1817 Rush -Bagot treaty limited warships on Great Lakes

• 1818 Set northern boundary of Louisiana territory at 49th parallel

• Joint occupation of Oregon territory

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Map Check

Use the Use the provided map to mark the following:

• Appalachian Mts• Pinckney’s Treaty or the Treaty of San Lorenzo• Louisiana Purchase• Rush- Bagot Treaty of 1817

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Credits

Pictures were scanned from America! America! Scott, Foresman and Co., Glenview, IL, © 1982

The United States: People and Leaders, Modern Curriculum Press, Inc., Cleveland, OH © 1981

Call to Freedom, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, © 2000

The slideshow was created by Marie Sontag, © 2001

http://www.imetrek.org