EUGENIA LANGAN
MATER ACADEMY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
HIALEAH GARDENS, FLORIDA
WITH THANKS TO TONY MILLER & SUSAN POJER
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
TODAY:
WHAT WERE THE CAUSES OF THE WAR OF 1812?
WAS JAMES MADISON A STRICT CONSTRUCTIONIST?
WERE FEDERALISTS REALLY LIBERAL
CONSTRUCTIONISTS?
BROAD:
HOW AND WHEN DID U.S. NATIONALISM ARISE?
WHAT CAUSED THE CIVIL WAR?
FRQ PROMPT:
WITH RESPECT TO THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION,
THE JEFFERSONIAN REPUBLICANS ARE USUALLY
CHARACTERIZED AS STRICT CONSTRUCTIONISTS
WHO WERE OPPOSED TO THE BROAD
CONSTRUCTIONISM OF THE FEDERALISTS. TO
WHAT EXTENT WAS THIS CHARACTERIZATION OF
THE TWO PARTIES ACCURATE DURING THE
PRESIDENCIES OF JEFFERSON AND MADISON?
YOUR “OI” MUST INCLUDE:
ALL RELEVANT PRIMARY SOURCES ASSIGNED
ALL ASSIGNED READINGS AND MY LECTURES/ PPS
NO INTERNET CRAP
 BACKGROUND/ REVIEW
 FROM 1807, NAPOLEONIC WARS PUT U.S. IN
MIDDLE OF WAR BETWEEN ENGLAND AND
FRANCE (AGAIN!)
 1807, BRITISH ORDERS IN COUNCIL 
NAPOLEON’S EDICT OF MILAN  BOTH ENGLISH
AND FRANCE SEIZED U.S. MERCHANT SHIPS
o 1807 – 11 BRITAIN IMPRESSED > 6,000 U.S.
SEAMEN
 ALSO 1807, CHESAPEAKE-LEOPARD AFFAIR
 1807 – JEFFERSON’S EMBARGO ACT

DEVASTATED U.S. ECONOMY IN THE SHORT
RUN, BUT IN THE LONG RUN  INDUSTRIALIZATION
N.E., OHIO
 JEFFERSON’S POLICIES  HAMILTON’S
 1808 – MADISON (D-R) ELECTED PRESIDENT,
DESPITE UNPOPULARITY OF EMBARGO
 1809 – NON-INTERCOURSE ACT – EMBARGO ONLY
ON TRADE WITH BRITAIN AND FRANCE
 NEITHER BRITAIN NOR FRANCE CAPITULATED TO
EITHER EMBARGO ACT OR NON-INTERCOURSE ACT
 JAMES MADISON –
“FATHER OF THE
CONSTITUTION,” AUTHOR
OF BILL OF RIGHTS ,
FEDERALIST PAPERS, AND
VIRGINIA RESOLVES,
SECRETARY OF STATE,
FOURTH PRESIDENT
 IN THE VIRGINIA
RESOLVES, MADISON
ADVOCATED COMPACT
THEORY AND STRICT
CONSTRUCTION
 MADISON’S ECONOMIC POLICY:
 SUPPORTED NON-INTERCOURSE ACT
 DID NOT SUPPORTED MACON’S BILL NO. 2 –
LIFTED EMBARGO ENTIRELY BUT THREATENED
TO RESTORE IT IF BRITAIN OR FRANCE DIDN’T
STOP SEIZING U.S. SHIPS
 NAPOLEON’S PLOY  MADISON RESTORED
EMBARGO ON BRITAIN
 STRICT CONSTRUCTION?
 BRITAIN KEPT SEIZING U.S. SHIPS
 PROVOCATIONS ON THE WESTERN FRONTIER
(?)
 RECALL PONTIAC’S UPRISING, NORTHWEST
INDIAN WAR – REALLY ONE LONG WAR BETWEEN
INDIANS IN N.W. AND WHITE INVADERS
 RECALL TREATY OF GREENVILLE – 1795
EVERYTHING N.W.
OF THIS LINE =
INDIAN
TERRITORY
BUT WESTWARD HO! WHITE FOLKS!
 1809 – TREATY OF FORT WAYNE. WILLIAM
HENRY HARRISON, GOVERNOR OF INDIANA
TERRITORY INVITED SELECTED INDIAN
CHIEFS TO FT. WAYNE TO SIGN TREATY CEDING 3
MILLION ACRES TO U.S
 MADISON OPPOSED THIS!
 TECUMSEH, SHAWNEE GENERAL, AND HIS
BROTHER TENKSWATAWA (“THE PROPHET”)
 TECUMSEH: ALL INDIAN LANDS OWNED BY ALL
TRIBES IN COMMON (JOSEPH BRANT)
 TENKSWATAWA = INDIAN “PURITAN” – URGED
REJECTION OF WHITE CULTURE (INCLUDING
X’IANITY AND LIQUOR)
HARRISON, TECUMSEH AND TENSKWATAWA
 BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE, NOV. 7, 1811 – WHO
WON?
TECUMSEH ORGANIZED CONFEDERATION OF
MOST TRIBES TO RESIST TREATY OF FT. WAYNE

 BRITAIN AIDED TECUMSEH (EXAMPLE – HE WAS
IN CANADA WHEN BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE
OCCURRED)
NEWS OF BATTLE 
ANGER AT BRITAIN FOR
“INSTIGATING
INDIANS”

THE WAR LASTED UNTIL 1813 = WESTERN FRONT IN
WAR OF 1812
 A BRANCH OF THE D-R PARTY – MADISON
RESISTED THEM!
 ARGUED FOR WAR ON BEHALF OF FRONTIER
PEOPLE & IN DEFENSE OF U.S. SOVEREIGNTY
THE TWO TO REMEMBER – HENRY CLAY (KY) AND
JOHN C. CALHOUN (S.C.)
CLAY – “THE GREAT
COMPROMISER” – 3 X
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE,
SECRETARY OF STATE,
SENATOR
CALHOUN – SENATOR, HOUSE
MEMBER, VICE PRESIDENT,
SECRETARY OF WAR

THOMAS JEFFERSON, WAR HAWK?
“THE ACQUISITION OF CANADA THIS YEAR, AS
FAR AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF QUEBEC, WILL
BE A MERE MATTER OF MARCHING, AND WILL
GIVE US THE EXPERIENCE FOR THE ATTACK ON
HALIFAX, THE NEXT AND FINAL EXPULSION OF
ENGLAND FROM THE AMERICAN CONTINENT.“
JEFFERSON, 1812
 WAS U.S. EXPANSIONISM A/ THE MOTIVE FOR
THE WAR?
THE HENRY LETTERS – MADISON BOUGHT FOR
$50,000 -- WAS MADISON TRULY DECEIVED?

 JUNE 1, 1812 – MADISON SPEECH TO CONGRESS
LISTS GRIEVANCES AGAINST BRITAIN, INCLUDING
HENRY LETTERS 
 SAME DAY, CONGRESS DECLARED WAR ON GREAT
BRITAIN
 FIRST TIME U.S. DECLARED WAR
 NARROWEST WAR VOTE IN U.S. HISTORY
House= 79-49, Senate= 19-13
 NO FEDERALISTS VOTED FOR THE WAR
 BRITAIN HAD REVOKED ORDERS IN COUNCIL TWO
DAYS EARLIER (HAD TAPERED OFF SEIZURES BEFORE
ELECTION OF 1812
CANDIDATES P/ VP
PARTY
ELECTORAL
VOTES
%
%
ELECTORAL POPULAR
JAMES MADISON
ELBRIDGE GERRY
DR
128
58.9%
50.4%*
DEWITT CLINTON
JARED INGERSOLL
FED
89
41.1%
47.6%
RUFUS KING
FED
0
0
2%
18 STATES – ONE OHIO ELECTOR DIDN’T VOTE
* IN CONN., DEL., GA., N.Y., S.C. & VT., ELECTORS WERE
STILL APPOINTED BY STATE LEGISLATURES
 THE WAR -- JUNE 18, 1812 – FEBRUARY 18,
1815
 U.S. UNPREPARED -- > 30,000 REGULAR ARMY,
MADISON PLANNED TO USE MOSTLY STATE
MILITIAS
– NO DICE – MILITIAS RELUCTANT TO FIGHT
OUTSIDE OWN STATES, N.E. STATES
(FEDERALISTS) WOULDN’T SEND MILITIAS
 FIRST TWO CAMPAIGNS = UNSUCCESSFUL
INVASIONS OF CANADA (FROM MICHIGAN AND
NEW YORK) SUMMER OF 1812
 RESULT – BRITISH TOOK DETROIT, CONTROL OF
LAKE ERIE
N.B.
BRITAIN
DIDN’T
TOTALLY
CUT OFF
NEW
ENGLAND
OVERVIEW:
ONLY CLEAR VICTORIES
– AGAINST INDIANS IN
N.W. AND SOUTH, AND
AGAINST BRITISH ON
LAKE ERIE + BATTLE OF
NEW ORLEANS
WAR BECAME
POINTLESS FOR BOTH
SIDES BY 1815
BUT MANY AMERICAN
LEGENDS, AND U.S.
NATIONALISM RESULT

SIGNIFICANT BATTLES: WEST
 BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE AKA BATTLE OF PUT-IN
BAY, SEPTEMBER 1813 – U.S. NAVY, UNDER OLIVER
HAZARD PERRY, TOOK CONTROL OF LAKE ERIE –
ENDED PROSPECT OF BRITISH INVASION IN N.W.
“WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE
IS OURS”
HIS STANDARD WAS “DON’T GIVE
UP THE SHIP” = DYING WORDS OF
CAPTAIN JAMES LAWRENCE OF THE
CHESAPEAKE – CAPTURED BY
BRITISH H.M.S. SHANNON OFF
NOVA
SCOTIA, EARLIER IN 1813
SAMPLER - LAWRENCE = SENTIMENTAL HERO
 BATTLE OF THE THAMES, OCTOBER 1813 –
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON DEFINITELY DEFEATED
TECUMSEH HERE
 NO MORE
PROBLEMS WITH
INDIANS IN N.W.!

SIGNIFICANT BATTLE: ATLANTIC
JULY 1812 – U.S.S. CONSTITUTION “OLD
IRONSIDES” – DEFEATS AND BURNS H.M.S
GUERRIERE
 SIGNIFICANT BATTLES, CHESAPEAKE
 BATTLE OF BLADENSBURG, AUGUST, 1814 –
MILTIA COULDN’T STOP BRITISH INVASION OF
WASHINGTON  SACK OF WASHINGTON, BURNING
OF WHITE HOUSE
FIRST LADY DOLLEY
MADISON SAVED MANY
WHITE HOUSE VALUABLES,
SUCH AS G. STUART
PORTRAIT OF WASHINGTON
A HEROINE! AND SO WE
HONOR HER BY NAMING
CHEAP SNACK CAKES AFTER
HER
 “BATTLE” OF BALTIMORE (FT. MC HENRY),
AUGUST, 1814 – “BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR”
INSPIRED FRANCIS SCOTT TO WRITE “THE
DEFENSE OF FT. MC HENRY”
SET TO THE TUNE OF
THE ANACREONTIC
SONG, IT BECAME OUR
NATIONAL ANTHEM IN
1931
“And long may the sons
of Anacreon intwine the
myrtle of Venus with
Bacchus' vine.”
 SIGNIFICANT BATTLES – SOUTH
 BATTLE OF HORSESHOE BEND, MARCH 1814
 REALLY A SEPARATE WAR WITH CREEKS
 GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON DEFEATED CREEK
“RED STICKS” - INSPIRED BY TECUMSEH
 TREATY OF FORT JACKSON – CREEKS CEDED
THEIR LANDS IN ALABAMA AND GEORGIA
JACKSON ACCEPTING SURRENDER OF CREEK GENERAL
WILLIAM WEATHERFORD
 BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS, JANUARY 1815
 TREATY OF GHENT, ENDING WAR, HAD BEEN
SIGNED DECEMBER 23, 1814 – BUT NEWS HADN’T
REACHED AMERICA
 TROOPS UNDER JACKSON DEFEATED BRITISH
SIEGE OF NEW ORLEANS
 IN FACT, A SMALL BATTLE (ONLY ≈ 4,000
BRITISH SAILORS AND MARINES INVOLVED)
 BUT JACKSON’S PR = > 25,000 BRITISH
TROOPS
“THE HERO OF NEW ORLEANS”
JACKSON SQUARE, NEW ORLEANS
 POLITICS – THE HARTFORD CONVENTION,
DECEMBER 1814 – JANUARY 1815
 NEW ENGLAND FEDERALISTS CONSIDERED
SECESSION – OPPOSED TO “MR. MADISON’S WAR
AND EMBARGO
 HARTFORD CONVENTION OFFICIAL PROPOSALS
INCLUDED

REPEAL 3/5 CLAUSE (REDUCE SOUTHERN
REPRESENTATION IN HOUSE OF REP.)

NO SUCCESSIVE PRESIDENTS FROM SAME
STATE (BREAK “VIRGINIA DYNASTY”)
 NO MORE EMBARGOES

ALAS FOR THE FEDERALISTS, NEWS OF
JACKSON’S “MAJOR VICTORY” AT NEW ORLEANS
(AND TREATY ENDING WAR  ENORMOUS
POPULAR ENTHUSIASM FOR THE WAR
FEDERALIST PARTY DISCREDITED
 EFFECTS OF WAR OF 1812
 2260 BATTLE DEATHS, 4,505 WOUNDED
 OUR CAPITAL IN RUINS
 U.S. TREASURY DEPLETED
 NO TERRITORY GAINED FROM BRITAIN
 BUT . . .
 POPULAR PERCEPTION = “WE WON A WAR
AGAINST GREAT BRITAIN” – “SECOND WAR OF
INDEPENDENCE

U.S. IDENTITY AND NATIONALISM
 FEDERALIST PARTY – DONE – NO MORE
LINGERING LOYALTIES TO BRITAIN

NATIONALISM:
 HEROES AND HEROINES, LEGENDS, MYTHS
 TWO HEROS  PRESIDENTS: JACKSON &
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON
 NATIONAL ANTHEM