The Road to War:
Renewed Conflict with
England & France
The Embargo of 1807
• When England & France resumed war
in 1803 & violated U.S. neutrality,
Jefferson approved the unpopular
Embargo of 1807
• To enforce the embargo, Jefferson
contradicted his principles of individual
liberty & weak gov’t:
–He mobilized the military to enforce
the blockade
–He declared regions of NY (near
Canada) in a state of insurrection
“NeverThe
did aEmbargo
prisoner, released
of 1807from his
feel such
relief as Iproved
shall on
• Forchains,
15 months
the embargo
shaking off the shackles of power.”—TJ
ineffective; Congress repealed the
embargo in 1809
• Jefferson’s
decision
to not
for a third
The embargo
gained
no run
political
concessions
from
France
or Britain
term
meant that
these
problems
fell to
his
Buthand-picked
it producedsuccessor,
economic James
hardship,
Madison & political dissent in America
smuggling,
• In 1808,
Madison
was the
elected
president
Congress
repealed
embargo
just
& the3Republicans
maintained
days after Jefferson
left control
office of
the gov’t
The Road to the War of 1812
…but presidency
England
eagerly
• Madison
The focus
of Madison’s
continued
to
seize
awaited
was foreign policy: U.S. ships
reopening trade
–In
the Non-Intercourse Act
with1809,
England
promised the U.S. would resume trade
with
England
&
France
once
U.S.
France agreed to end all trade
neutrality
is respected
restrictions
(but never stopped
seizing
or impressing
–In
1810,ships
Congress
replacedsailors)
this with
Macon’s Bill #2 offering exclusive trade
to whichever nation 1st honored U.S.
neutrality
Which region
would
have
supported
athe
Patriotism
surged
as
War
Hawks
claimed
Madison
eventually
gave
in
&
Americans
in
the
West
&
declaration
of war
the most?
War of 1812
the “Second
American
Revolution”
South
wanted
war to gain
asked
Congress
for a declaration
Canada & Spanish
of war Florida
in June 1812
NE Federalists thought war
withMost
Britain
as for
a mistake:
calls
war centered on British
they feared
the U.S.
could
interference
with
U.S. trade rights.
not defeat
a war Rights” was a
“FreeEngland
Trade &&Sailors'
would bankruptpopular
the country
battle cry
By 1810, War Hawks in Congress, led by
Henry Clay (KY) & John C. Calhoun (SC),
demanded war with England
The War of 1812
War
The U.S. did
not of
fare1812
well against
the better-trained
troopsthe U.S.
• Despite
increased British
patriotism,
for more
war: successful
The was
U.S. unprepared
navy was a little
but only
because
the bulk
British
– Congress
refused
to of
raise
taxesnavy
was
still
fighting
Napoleon
in
Europe
– The army was small & state militias
were inadequate
– The government was incapable of
directing a full-scale war
• The U.S. goal for the war was to
attack British Canada & force England
to respect U.S. rights
The American army under Andrew Jackson
defeated the British at New Orleans (after a
peace treaty was drawn up ending the war)
The War
of 1812
In 1814,
the British
British
were
turned
back
at
Plattsburg
on Lake
The British attacked
the
undefended
took
the
offensive
in
a
Champlain
&
gave
up
their
Canadian
offensive
Chesapeake & burned Washington, DC
3-pronged attack
& laid siege to Baltimore
Hartford Convention
The War of 1812
In order to reduce southern
is still
going
on!!
• Federalists opposed
the
war
by
not
control of Congress
paying taxes or sending troops
In order to break the Virginia
• In 1814, Federalists
met
at
the
presidential dynasty
Hartford Convention to discuss
altering the U.S. Constitution to:
–restrict Congress’ war powers
–supported a one-term president
–abolish the three-fifths clause
• They discussed seceding from the
USA if they did not get their way
Treaty of Ghent
• Treaty of Ghent ended the war, but
did not address U.S. neutrality
• Effects
of ceded
the War
of 1812:
Spain
Florida
to the USA
–Ended all Indian-British alliances in
western lands
–Scared Spain into signing the AdamsOnis Treaty in 1819
–The lack of Federalist loyalty was the
fatal blow to the party