Chapter 8, Section 4
The War of 1812
Early Battles
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War of 1812 began in the summer months
– United States up against the world’s most powerful military (Great Britain)
– War Hawks (pro war members of Congress) made claims that the war would be a swift and
easy victory
War at Sea
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British navy had hundreds of war ships
United States navy had fewer than 20 at the start of the war
Most of Britain’s ships were scattered across the globe
– _______________ had a vast colonial empire covering almost every continent on the
globe
United States navy was small but well trained
– Powerful new warships like the USS Constitution
– Americans had several naval victories in one-on-one duels
• These victories embarrassed the British and boosted American morale
• Eventually, the British navy blockaded America’s seaports
Battles Along the _______________ Border
American leaders wanted to follow up naval victories with an invasion of British Canada
3 planned attacks
– From _______________
– From _______________ (present day Buffalo, NY)
– From the _______________ towards Montreal
Battles Along the Canadian Border
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American Attack from Detroit (failed)
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Other American attacks failed because state militia refused to cross the Canadian border
– British soldiers and Native Americans led by Tecumseh captured Fort Detroit
– Argued that they did not have to fight in a foreign country
Battles Along the Canadian Border
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1813 Americans went on the offensive again
– Goal was to break British control of Lake _______________
– Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry in command
– Battle of Lake Erie
• Perry said out to meet the British on September 10
• Battle ended when the British surrendered
• Perry’s brilliant victory forced the British to withdraw, giving the United States military
control of Lake Erie and renewing morale
Battles Along the Canadian Border
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Control of Lake Erie allowed William Henry Harrison to march into Canada with his ground
forces
Battle of the Thames River (October 1813)
– _______________ _______________ defeated British and Native American forces
– Harrison’s victory ended British power in the Northwest Territory
– Tecumseh’s death during the battle struck a blow to the British alliance with Native
Americans in the region
The Creek War
War between the United States and Native American forces erupted in the south in 1813
– Creek tribe angry that settlers were pushing into their lands
– Attacked Fort Mims on the Alabama River
• Destroyed the fort and killed 250 Americans
• _______________ _______________
• American Commander of the Tennessee militia
• Gathered 2,000 volunteers (hence the nickname “The Volunteer State”) to fight against
the Creek Nation
The Creek War
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Jackson attacked the Creek in spring of 1814
Jackson’s victory against the Creek became known as the Battle of Horseshoe Bend
Treaty of Fort Jackson
– Ended the Creek War
– Forced the Creek Nation to give up millions of acres of their land for white settlement
Great Britain on the Offensive
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Despite US victories in the West and South, the situation was dire in the East
Great Britain defeats _______________ France in 1814 and could now focus all of their
energy on the war in America
– Sent more troops to America
British Attacks in the East
• Great Britain attacked _______________
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– President James Madison forced to flee the capital
– British set fire to the city and burned the White House
Dolley Madison
– Wife of President James Madison
– Refused to leave the White House until a famous _______________ of George
Washington was rescued
British Attacks in the East
British moved south to Maryland
Attacked Fort McHenry
– Shelled the fort for 25 hours
– Americans refused to surrender, even in this dark hour
British Attacks in the East
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Francis Scott Key
– Watched “…the bombs bursting in air” at Fort McHenry “…o’er the ramparts” on the night
of September 13-September 14, 1814
– In the morning, when the smoke cleared, Francis Scott Key saw “…broad stripes and
bright stars” flying over Fort McHenry
– Because “…the flag was still there”, Francis Scott Key became overwhelmed with
American pride and wrote a little poem
– We know this poem today as “The Star-Spangled Banner”
– The flag that so inspired Francis Scott Key now resides as an exhibit in the Smithsonian
Museum in Washington D.C.
The Battle of New Orleans
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After the attack on Washington, British forces moved on the New Orleans
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Andrew Jackson in control of American forces in New Orleans
– The British goal was the capture the city and take control of the Mississippi River
– Forces made up of regular soldiers, free African Americans, Choctaw Native Americans,
state militia, and French Pirates led by Jean Lafitte
The Battle of New Orleans
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The Battle of ______________________________
– Began on the morning of January 8, 1815
– As British forces began marching toward US defenses, they were caught in an open field
undefended
• More than 2,000 British soldiers were killed or wounded in a short span of time
– Americans suffered only 70 casualties
– This battle made Andrew Jackson a national _______________
– Last major battle of the War of 1812
Effects of the War
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Prior to the Battle of New Orleans, a group of New England Federalists met secretly in
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford Convention
– Federalists agreed to oppose the war and send delegates to meet with Congress
Before the delegates could reach Congress, news arrived that the war was over
– Critics mocked the Federalists and the party lost much of its power
Effects of the War
Treaty of _______________
– Signed in Belgium on Christmas Eve 1814
– Ended the War of 1812
– Slow communications prevented the Federalists or Andrew Jackson from knowing of the
war’s end
Cause and Effect