James Madison and
the War of 1812
Chapter 8
JAMES MADISON
• Inaugurated
March, 1809
• “Virginia Dynasty”
• Strong
JeffersonianRepublican
MADISON’S AGENDA
• Jeffersonian
Democracy:
– Dismantles the Bank (1811)
(Back again in 1816!)
– 2/3 of Congress ousted in
1816 (pay raise!)
– Madison vetoes Bonus Bill
of 1817 (internal
improvements)
ELECTION OF 1808
MACON’S Bill # 2
• Replace Non – Intercourse Act of
1809
• Purpose  U.S. would embargo nations
that didn’t sign
• Napoleon agrees (kind of):
– Secretly hoped U.S. would go to war with
Britain
• Madison accepts France’s commitment
Gives Britain 3 months to sign.
– Napoleon: no real intention of honoring it.
WAR HAWKS
• New young leaders from South & West:
– Strongly Nationalistic
– “Prove” nation through war
– “Great Triumvirate”
• Henry Clay (Kentucky)
– Speaker of House
• John C. Calhoun
(South Carolina)
BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE
November 7, 1811
• Western War Hawks: ‘wipe out Native resistance’
• Tecumseh & The Prophet:
– Shawnee Brothers
– Confederacy of tribes E of Miss.
• Settlers push further West after victory.
• War Hawks: attack Canada to remove leftover
Indian threats?
DANIEL WEBSTER
• Federalist (NH)
• Gifted orator, spoke
against war with Britain
• New England
manufacturing interests
• Helped defeat Madison’s
proposed ‘conscription
law’.
WAR OF 1812
• U.S. DECLARES WAR
ON BRITAIN JUNE
18, 1812.
• NEW ENGLAND &
MIDDLE STATES
OPPOSE WAR
• U.S. vastly
unprepared.
WHY ENGLAND & NOT FRANCE?
1. WAR HAWKS PUSH
MADISON.
2.
REPUBLICAN PARTIALITY
TOWARDS FRANCE.
3.
IMPRESSMENT & ARMING
INDIANS.
4.
CHESAPEAKE – LEOPARD
AFFAIR.
5.
Canada, eh.
WAR OF 1812
• Highlights of the war:
– 1. Americans invade Canada (disastrous).
– 2. British invade New York.
– 3. Burning of the White House – Aug. 1813
– 4. Battle of the Thames – Oct. 1813
– 4. Battle of New Orleans – Jan. 1814
– 5. Treaty of Ghent
– 6. Democratic-Republicans learn hard lessons
about governing!
• Napoleon : defeated in Russia (but re-emerges!)
BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE
September 10, 1813
Admiral Oliver Hazard Perry
BATTLE OF THE THAMES
October 5, 1813
GEN. WILLIAM HENRY
HARRISON
BURNING OF WASHINGTON D.C.
AUGUST 24, 1814
STAR SPANGLED BANNER
FRANCIS SCOTT KEY
BATTLE OF BALTIMORE
Fort McHenry
BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS
4,700 Hodge-Podge Americans defeat
11,000 British Regulars.
GEN. ANDREW JACKSON
TREATY OF GHENT
• ESSENTIALLY AN ARMISTICE.
• STOP FIGHTING AND RESTORE
CONQUERED TERRITORY.
• NO MENTION OF PRE-WAR GRIEVANCES:
– IMPRESSMENT
– INDIANS
– ORDERS IN COUNCIL
• AMERICANS RETAIN RIGHT TO FISH OFF
CANADA.
HARTFORD CONVENTION
• NE FEDERALISTS ALMOST SUCCEED IN DEFEATING
MADISON IN ELECTION OF 1812.
HARTFORD CONVENTION
DECEMBER, 1814 – JANUARY 1815
• ATTENDED BY MA., CT., RI., PARTIALLY BY NH.,
& VT.
• DISCUSS COMPLAINTS AND SEEK COMPENSATION
FROM LOSSES DURING EMBARGO/WAR.
• SECESSION AS LAST RESORT
• COMPLAINTS SENT TO DC IN JAN., BAD TIMING!
Results of the War of 1812
• Hartford Convention = Federalists
now dead.
• We need a bank (after all).
• America can handle Europeans
(kinda).
• America learns to do without
European trade (almost).
• Nationalism and Expansion.
• War heroes!