War of 1812
“Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave…”
Britain was at war with France.
 Britain began to “impress” US sailors on
ships.

◦ Definition: Impressment – men are captured
and forced to serve in the Navy.
◦ Why was Britain doing this?

France also attacking US ships.
◦ Why?
◦ Napoleon wanted to stop our trade with Britain.
◦ President Madison to Napoleon: We’ll stop
trade with Britain if you stop attacking us!
Britain vs. France

Some Americans really wanted war with
Britain. These people were called “WarHawks.”
◦ Definition: War Hawk – A person who is hungry for
war.

War meant expansion for the country! Which
area would want war and expansion: North
or South?
◦ Southerner’s economy depended on agriculture;
with expansion they could gain land.
◦ Northerner’s economy depended on trade; they
didn’t want war because it meant ending trade with
Britain.
“War-Hawks”

1. British impressment of American
sailors.
◦ Remind me, what is impressment?

2. America wanted to expand into
Canada…but it belonged to Britain.
◦ Going to war with Britain meant there was a
chance at gaining Canada.

3. America was expanding into Native
American territory.
◦ How did the British use this to their advantage?
3 Causes of the War of 1812

1. This was the end of the Federalist
Party.
◦ Which area of America supported
the Federalists?
◦ How did the North feel about going to war?

Democratic-Republicans ultimately won
out over the Federalists because they
supported the war, and many Americans
supported it as well.
◦ Which area of America supported DR’s?
◦ How did the South feel about the war?
5 Important Effects of the War

2. The Whitehouse was burned!
◦ British troops marched on Washington and
burned the White House.
◦ Dolley Madison, when she saw the British
approaching in the distance, decided to leave
personal possessions behind, and instead save
the portrait of George Washington.
 What impact could her action have had on
America at the time?
5 Important Effects of the War

3. Francis Scot Key wrote a poem – this
would later become the lyrics to our
National Anthem.
◦ Key was being held captive on a British ship as
they attacked the American Fort McHenry.
Through the night, he saw the “rockets red
glare, the bombs bursting in air.” It wasn’t until
the morning that he knew who had won – the
American flag waved proudly in the distance.
5 Important Effects of the War

4. Andrew Jackson became a war hero at
the Battle of New Orleans.
◦ Andrew Jackson, as well as a few other men,
became war heroes. Having gained this fame,
many of them later became US Presidents.
5 Important Effects of the War

5. Treaty of Ghent: Peace after two years
◦ Signed on Dec. 24, 1814 ending the war
between Britain and the US.
◦ Neither side lost or gained territory; everything
pretty much returned to normal.
5 Important Effects of the War
At first glance, it may look like nothing
was accomplished. That’s not true!
 The biggest impact of the war is that the
US gained a sense of nationalism – they
could stand up against world powers and
not be destroyed. The US finally felt a real
sense of pride and community.

◦ How did the 5 effects we discussed contribute
to this sense of nationalism?
Biggest Impact of
the War