The War of 1812
Unit 3, Lesson 1
Essential Idea
• The War of 1812 helped make the United
States a world power and sparked of national
pride.
• ADD HISTORY CHANNEL VIDEO LINKS?
Impressment
• Cause 1:
Impressment
• Britain and France
went to war again in
1803
• America declared
neutrality and
wanted to trade with
both
• Neither Britain or
France accepted
neutrality
• Impressment- Britain
again captured ships
and kidnapped sailors
Impressment
• The Chesapeake Affair:
• In 1807, a British warship tried to capture the Chesapeake, an American
warship
• The Chesapeake resisted and the British ship fired upon it and kidnapped
sailors
• Many Americans were furious and called for war
The Embargo Act of 1807
• Cause 2: Economic
Problems
• Jefferson proposed an
embargo to avoid war
• The “Damn-bargo”:
• Embargo Act of 1807America stopped ALL
trade with Europe
• Good result- kept
American ships safe and
avoided war
• Bad result- without
European trade, the
American economy
suffered
• Embargo Act of 1807
Madison becomes President
• Election of 1808:
• James Madison, a
Democratic-Republican, was
elected president
• Non-Intercourse Actrestored trade with all of
Europe EXCEPT Britain and
France
• The American economy still
suffered, and many
Americans wanted war
The War Hawks
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Cause 3: “War Hawks” Elected
“War Hawks” wanted war against Britain
In 1810, new “War Hawk” congressmen from the South and West were elected
Southern anger- Britain had damaged their trade with Europe
Western anger- they blamed Britain for Indian attacks on the frontier
Famous War Hawks
• Notable War Hawks:
• Henry Clay- later proposed a
new economic system for
America
• Clay also developed many
compromises to prevent civil
war
• John C. Calhoun- future vicepresident under Andrew
Jackson
Fighting in the
West
• Cause 4: Native
American Attacks
• Americans violated the
Treaty of Greenville
and moved into Indian
land
• British troops were
still in western forts
and armed Indians to
attack Americans
Tecumseh
• Native Americans Unite?
• Tecumseh- began recruiting and uniting western
tribes to protect their lands
• Battle of Tippecanoe- William Henry Harrison led
troops against Indians, crushing Tecumseh’s
movement
• Tecumseh fled to British-owned Canada, confirming
that Britain was aiding Indians
• Battle of Tippecanoe
War Declared
• In 1812, Madison asked Congress to declare war on Britain
• Northern congressmen, Federalists, voted against war
• Southern and Western congressmen, Democratic-Republicans (and war
hawks), voted for war
• Northern critics called it “Mr. Madison’s War”
Causes of the War of 1812
• “W.I.N.E.”
• W:
• War Hawks
Elected
• I:
• Impressment
• N:
• Native American
Attacks
• E:
• Economic
Problems
War of 1812
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Fighting on the Canadian border:
British and American navies fought battles on the Great Lakes
Americans burned the city of York, now Toronto
Britain tried to invade New York and New England, where Federalists were, but failed
If Britain succeeded, the North and possibly the entire war would have been lost
America tried to invade Canada at three locations but failed
Fighting on the border was a stalemate
Washington, D.C. Attacked
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Fighting around the Chesapeake Bay:
The British navy moved to the Chesapeake Bay and marched soldiers to Washington, D.C.
Members of the federal government, including Madison, fled as the British attacked
The Capitol building and White House were burned
Washington Burned
Battle of Baltimore
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Battle of Baltimore:
The British navy tried to attack Baltimore but
were stopped at Fort McHenry
Francis Scott Key was inspired by the battle to
write what became the “Star-Spangled
Banner,” which became the national anthem
British ships retreated and the Chesapeake
area was saved
The Star Spangled Banner
Federalist Opposition
• Many Federalists opposed fighting Britain
• Hartford Convention- Federalists met to discuss their opposition to
the war
• Federalists looked unpatriotic when the war ended
Battle of New Orleans
• Fighting at New Orleans:
• Britain wanted to
capture New Orleans and
the Mississippi River to
cut off trade
• Battle of New Orleansled by Andrew Jackson,
American troops beat
the British
• This battle made Jackson
a national hero and
inspired nationalism
(patriotism) throughout
the country
• Battle of New Orleans
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Treaty of Ghent
Terms:
Peace was established
All territory returned to original owners
The war ended with a truce
Americans viewed this as a “Second War of Independence”
War of 1812 Aftermath
• Economy:
• Factories grew during
the war and America
depended less on British
manufacturing
• Politics:
• William Henry Harrison
and Andrew Jackson
became heroes
• The Federalists looked
unpatriotic after the
Hartford Convention and
“died out”
• Effects of the War of
1812
War of 1812 Aftermath
• Foreign relations:
• International respectAmerica had become a
world power
• Nationalism:
• “Era of Good Feelings”America entered a period
of nationalism
• America turned from
Europe and looked west to
expand
• Americans created a
unique culture distinct
from Europe