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The War of 1812
Lauren Jones
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President Madison takes office
Tensions with Britain were high when Maddison took office. Americans were angry at Great Britain for arming Native Americans in the Northwest. To most Americans they felt that their countrie's honor was at stake, so they felt a new sense of nationalism. -
War Hawks Take Power
War Hawks were those who were eager for war with Britain. The strongest opposition for war was in New England. Many New Englanders believed war with Britain would harm American trade. War Hawks took power when the war with Britain began. -
Relations with Great Britain Worsen
Relations with Great Britain slowly worsened. In the spring the British told the United States they would keep impressing sailors. Native Americans in the Northwest began new attacks on frontier settlements. -
Congress Declares War on Britain
Congress decided to declare war with Britain. Britain was still at war with Europe so for them the war came at a bad time. President Madison signed the decalration of war. -
America is not Ready for War
At first Americans were sure they could win the war. It soon showed that Americans were not prepared for war. Jefferson's spending cuts weakened American military strength. The navy only had 16 warships ready for actioon. The army was small with less than 7,000 men. -
Britain Blockades American Ports
By 1814 the British navy had 135 warships blockading American ports. The British were able to close off all American ports by the end of the war. The small American navy was uable to break the blockades. -
Invasion of Canada
War Hawks were demanding an invasion of Canada. American troops invaded Canada from Detroit. General William Hull was unsure because of the size of the army so he retreated. The British took advantage of Hull's confusion and surrounded the American army forcing it tio surrender. The British captured over 2,000 American soldiers ending in a huge American defeat. -
USS Constitution scores a victory
A major sea battle was fought at the begining of the war. In a fierce battle the Americans defeated Guerie`re, the British warship. The Constitution fired a barrage that tore of the masts of the British ships. -
Battle of Lake Erie
A key 3 hour battle took place in the western part pf the lake in Put-In-Bay. During the battle an American flagship was badly dammaged. The American commander switched ships and continued until he won. With Americans in control of the lake, the British were forced to leave Detroit and go back to Canada. -
Battle of Thames
As the British and their Native American allies retreated, the Americans followed them back to Canada. The Battle of Thames broke out ending in an American victory. Tecumseh was killed in this battle. -
Battle Of Horseshoe Bend
Nativ Americans also suffered defeat in the south. Creek warriors attacked several southern American settlements. Andrew Jackson took command of American forces. Jackson defeated the Creeks. The treaty that ended the battle forced the Creeks to give up millions of acres of land. -
Washington, D.C Attacked & Burned
In August the British force marched into Washington. The Presidents wife gathered important papers and fled the White House. The British set fire to several government buildings including the White House. Americans could not defend Washington. -
Attack on Baltimore
The British moved on to Baltimore. Their first objective was Fort McHenry, that defended the harbor. Key, a young American watched the battle. At dawn he saw the American flag flying over the fort. The Americans won. -
Writing of the Star Spangled Banner
On the back of an envelope Key wrote a poem the described what he saw the previous night. The poem became popular and was set to music. It later became the National Anthem of the United States. -
Hartford Convention
Some delegates thought that the New England states should secede from the United States. Others debated, and news of the peace treaty arrived. With the war oer, the Hartford convntiom soon ended. -
Treaty of Ghent
By 1814 Britain was tired of war. Peace talks began in Ghent. On Christmas Eve, the two sides signed the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war. The treaty returned things to the way they were before the war. -
Battle of New Orleans
News of the treaty took a few weeks to reach the United States. In that tim ethe two sides fought one last battle. Americans won a stunning victory at the Battle of New Orleans.
