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Period: to
The War of 1812
Addison Lee
Period 6 -
President Madison takes office
Tension with Britain was high when James Madison took office. Americans were angry at British soldiers for arming Native Americans in the Northwest. Americans also resented the continued impressiment of American soldiers by the British. -
War Hawks Take Power
Opposition to war was strongest in New England. Many New Englanders believed war with Britain would harm American trade. Relations with Britain worsen stadily in the early months of 1812. -
Relations with Great Britain Worsen
In the spring, the British told the United States that they would keep impressing sailers. Meanwhile, Native Americans in the Northwest began new attacks on fronteer settlements. In June, Congress finally declared war on Britain. -
Congress Declares War on Britain
It all started in early June. Congress had finally declared war on Britain. But they had already been in war with Europe. But Britain couldn't say no to the Americans. They had been waiting for this moment. -
America is not Ready for War
When war broke out, Americans were confident they would win. But Jeffersons spending cuts had weekened American military strength. And the army had fewer than 7,000 soldiers ready to fight at the time. -
Britain Blockades American Ports
In the early days of war, Britain set up a blockade of the American coast. By 1814 the British navy had 135 warships blockading American ports. After reinforcing their troops, the British were able to close off all American ports by war's end. -
Invasion of Canada
Before war began, warhawks were demanding an invasion of Canada. They expected Canadians to want to throw off British rule. In July of 1812, American troops under General William Hall invaded Canada from Detroit. They all soon retreated. -
USS Cinstitution scores a victory
A major sea battle was fought at the beginning of the war. In August 1812, the USS Constitution defeated the British warship called "Guerriere" in a fierce battle. To the Americans it seemed as if their ship was made of iron. So they gave it a nickname. Its new nickname was "Old Ironsides". It was nicknamed this because soldiers thought the ship was made of iron because all of the British artillery just kept bouncing off of their ship. -
Battle of Lake Erie
American forces had better luck at Lake Erie. Both sides were aware of the importance of controlling the lake. After a brutal three-hour war on the water, the Americans had come out on top. This forced Britain out of Detroit and back into Canada. -
Battle of Thames
When Britain was forced out of Detroit by the loss of Lake Erie, the Americans followed them to canada and had another war there. This battle was better known as The Battle of Thames. Tecumseh was among one of the people who died in this battle. -
Battle of Horseshoe Bend
In the summer of 1813, Creek Warriors attacked several Southern American settlements. Andrew Jackson took command of American forces in Georgia. In March 1814, Jackson defeated the Creeks at The Battle of Horseshoe Bend. The treaty that ended the fighting forced the Creeks to give up millions of acres of land. -
Washington, D.C. Attacked & Burned
Britain had come up with a new strategy. It was for them to attack the nations capital, Washington, D.C. On August 24, 1814, they marched into the United States capital. Dolly Madison (James Madison's wife) fled the white house with important papers before they all burned. -
Attack on Baltimore
The British then moved on to Baltimore, Maryland. Their first objective was to capture Fort McHenry, which defended the city's harbor. British warships bombarded the fort through the night of September 13, 1814. -
The Writing of the Star Spangled Banner
On the back of an old envelope, Francis Scott Key (An American) wrote a poem called "The Star-Spangled Banner". This poem told the story of his duty as night watch on September 13, 1814. It later became popular and was then set to music. In 1931, Congress made it the national anthem of the United States. -
Treaty of Ghent
By 1814, Britain had been tired of war with the US. Peace talks then began going around in Ghent, Belgium. On Christmas Eve 1814, the two sides sighned the Treaty of Ghent which ended the war. The treaty had returned things to the way they had been before war. -
Hartford Convention
On December 15, 1814, a group of federalists met in Hartford, Connecticut. Some delegates at the Hartford Convention suggested that the New England states scede,or withdraw from the United States. While they debated, news of the peace treaty arrived. With the news of the war being over, the Hartford Convention quickly ended. -
Battle of New Orleans
News of the treaty took several weeks to reach the United States. During that time, both sides fought one more battle. On January 8, 1815, American forces under command of General Andrew Jackson won a very stunning victory over the British in the Battle of New Orleans.
