There were several causes and effects of the War
of 1812. Look for them during the lesson.
The first three U.S. Presidents worked hard to
avoid war with Britain and France. Despite these
efforts, the U.S. finally went to war.
Social Studies Standard 8.5.1: Understand
the political and economic causes and
consequences of the War of 1812 and know the
major battles, leaders, and events that led to
the final peace.
Social Studies Standard 8.5.3: Outline the
major treaties with American Indian nations
during the administrations of the first four
presidents and the varying outcomes of those
treaties.
nationalism: pride in one’s country.
war hawks: those who were eager for war
with Britain.
blockade: the action of shutting a port or
road to prevent people or supplies from
coming into an area or leaving it.
secede: withdraw
The Move Toward War
 Led by the war hawks, Congress declared war on
Britain in June 1812.
 Americans were angry with Britain over
two main issues when James Madison
took office in 1809:
 The arming of Native Americans in
the Northwest
 The continued impressment of
American sailors
 In 1810, Henry Clay of Kentucky and
John C. Calhoun of South Carolina
became leaders in the House of
Henry Clay
Representatives.
The Move Toward War
 Led by the war hawks, Congress declared war on
Britain in June 1812.
 Clay and Calhoun led a group of war
hawks who were eager for war with
Britain.
 Merchants in New England were
against the war because they relied
on trade with Britain and other
European countries.
 Strong nationalism, pride in one’s
country, led to a declaration of war
in June, 1812.
John C. Calhoun
Early Days of the War
 During the first year of war, the U.S. struggled to
rebuild American military strength weakened by
Jefferson’s spending cuts.
The navy had only 16 warships.
The army had fewer than 7,000 soldiers.
Many officers were poorly trained or too
old for combat.
The British set up a blockade of the
American coast.
The War in the West & South
 Native Americans suffered severe setbacks during
fighting in the West and the South during 1814.
 The Americans failed in an attempt to
invade Canada in July, 1812.
 The British captured more than 2,000
American soldiers.
 In 1813, American forces led by Oliver
Hazard Perry defeated the British at
Detroit, forcing them back into Canada.
 The Americans under General William
Henry Harrison defeated the British at
William Henry Harrison the Battle of the Thames in Canada.
The War in the West & South
 Native Americans suffered severe setbacks during
fighting in the West and the South during 1814.
 Tecumseh was killed in the battle.
 In the South, Andrew Jackson
defeated the Creeks at the Battle of
Horseshoe Bend in March, 1814.
 The treaty forced the Creeks to give
up millions of acres of land.
Andrew Jackson
Final Battles
 Although the War of 1812 had no clear victor,
Americans gained new confidence after its end.
 The British attacked Washington, D.C.
in August, 1814 and set fire to several
government buildings, including the
White House.
 The British attacked Fort McHenry,
which defended the harbor at Baltimore.
 Francis Scott Key wrote a poem, after
he watched the attack, that he called
“The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Francis Scott Key
 In 1931, Congress made it our national
anthem.
Final Battles
 Although the War of 1812 had no clear victor,
Americans gained new confidence after its end.
 By 1814, Britain had tired of the war.
 On December 24, 1814, Britain and the
U.S. signed the Treaty of Ghent, which
ended the war.
 In January 1815, American forces under
General Andrew Jackson won a
stunning victory over the British at the
Battle of New Orleans.
 The War of 1812 was the “Second War
Andrew Jackson
of Independence” to many Americans.
HOMEWORK EXTENSION
 Complete the Section Quiz for 5-4
 Write a detailed SUMMARY of the section and
complete the UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
section of your notes.
 Choose two of the remaining Depth & Complexity
ICONS in your notes and explain how they relate
to this section.