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The Presidency of James Madison
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James Madison Elected President
James Madison, a democratic-republican, ran against Charles C. Pinckney a Federalist in the presidential election of 1808. In the end, Madison won with 122 electoral college votes to Pinckney’s 47 votes. Madison was seen as a more modest and precise version of Jefferson but was very much like him when it came to ideals. -
Macon’s Bill No.2 is ratified
Macon’s Bill No.2 removed all restrictions on trade with Britain and France, and stated that if one country ceased all attacks on U.S ships, the U.S would cease trade with the other. Unless that country then proceeded to recognize the U.S’s trade neutrality. This was exploited and ultimately useless, and rose tensions between the U.S and Britain leading up to the War of 1812. -
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought between American forces led by William Henry Harrison and the Native American warriors who were associated with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa. Both brothers wanted to stop Natives from living like Americans. The Americans their town. When, despite Tenskwatawa’s promise, the white soldiers held their ground, the Native Americans scattered. Americans blamed the British for the battle, which was a major cause of the war of 1812. -
The War of 1812 begins
The War of 1812 was fought over British impressment of American merchants. Parliament had passed an Act that stated that any ship assumed to be full of deserters could be seized and all sailors on said ship could be drafted into the British Navy. The British attacked American merchants on the terms that they were deserters, and since there wasn’t really any way to prove that they weren’t, they got away with it. This was the main cause of the war, as the U.S wanted their merchants back. -
James Madison re-elected president
In 2012, Madison ran for reelection again DeWitt Clinton, a federalist. Madison won with a total of 128 electoral votes and it took place in the shadow of the war of 1812. Many Federalists claimed that Madison was only re-elected because of the war. -
Battle of Lake Erie
This battle fought on Lake Erie, ensured American control over the Great Lakes. Officer Perry had nine ships, but only two, the Lawrence and the Niagara, were full size battleships. The battle began with the destruction of the Lawrence. The British had better long range guns and so had the advantage. Perry was moved to the Niagara where he and the Niagara inflicted heavy cannon fire on the British fleet, killing or wounding the commander of every British vessel and crushing the British fleet. -
The British burn down Washington
By spring 1814 British strategies had devised a plan for crushing the Americans. One army, 11,000 men, was to march from Montreal, tracing the same route that General Burgoyne had followed to disaster in the Revolution. The British marched rapidly toward Washington. When the British made it to the city they swarmed the capital and burned most public buildings including the White House. -
Treaty of Ghent officially ends the War of 1812
The war was considered finished by many from both the United States and Great Britain because after the battles of Plattsburgh, Washington, and Baltimore, many of the other battles had no effect on the outcome of the war. Earlier in 1814 both sides agreed to discuss peace terms. Negotiations began in Ghent, Belgium. The talks at Ghent were long and frustrating. Britain was in no hurry to sign any papers, they believed that their three-pronged attacks in 1814 would sway the war into their favor. -
General Andrew Jackson defeats British at Battle of New Orleans
Although the war was technically over and both sides had signed the treaty in Ghent. News did not travel nearly as fast then so General Sir Edward Pakenham attacked the harbor of New Orleans from Jamaica. His small armada was easily shut down and destroyed by then, General Andrew Jackson which was a humiliating defeat against Britain. -
James Monroe Elected President
The United States presidential election of 1816 came at the end of the James Madison’s two term presidency. Madison's Secretary of State, James Monroe, had an advantage in winning the nomination against a divided opposition and won the electoral college by the wide margin of 183 to 34. Madison followed in Washinton's footsteps when he stepped down after two terms, rather than continuing to serve.
