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The War of 1812
Liam Benjamin
period 6 -
President Madison takes office
Tension was high between Britian and America when Madision took office. Americans were mad at Britian for arming Native Americans. They also resented the impressment of American sailors. American nationalism grew because they wanted to protect their country's honor. -
War Hawks Take Power
Henry Clay of Kentucky and John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, became leaders in the House of Representatives. Their followers were called the War Hawks. The War Hawks were the people who wanted to go to war with Great Britian. -
Relations with Great Britainn Worsen
In spring Britain told the United States that they would continue the impressment of American sailors. The British would not stop providing Native Americans with firearms, causing problems between westword settlers and the Natiives. In June, Congress declared war on Britain. -
Congress Declares War on Britain
In June, Congress declared war on Britain. Congress declared war on Britain because American ships were being seized by Britain. Britain also wouldn't stop the impressment of American sailors. -
America is not Ready for War
It soon became apparent that the United States was not ready for war. Jefferson's spending cuts had weakened the American military strength. The navy had only 16 war ships that were ready for action. The army also was small, with fewer than 7,000 men. -
Britian Blockades American Ports
In the first days of the war, Britain set up a blockade along the American coast. By 1814, the British had 135 warships iin American ports. After reinforcing their troops, the British were able to close all of the American ports by the war's ends. -
Invasion of Canada
Even before the war began, the War Hawks wanted to invade Canada. The War Hawks expected Canadians to welcome the chance to throw off British rule. In July 1812, American troops invaded Canada from Detroit. The person leading the attack was General William Hull. General Hull was not sure of himself. Fearing he did not have enough soldiers, he soon retreated. -
USS Constitution scores a victory
A major sea battle was fought at the beginning of the war. The USS Constitution defeated the British warship Guerriere in a fierce battle. According to tradition, American sailors nicknamed the Constitution " Old Ironsides" because British artillery fire bounced off the ships thick wooden hull. To the Americans it seemed like the Constitution was made of iron. -
Battle of Lake Erie
American forces had better luck in the battle of lake Erie thaan they did in their invasion on Canada. Both Britain and America knew that Lake Erie was important. The battle took three hours and it took place in Put-In-Bay which is located on the western part of the lake. Oliver Hazard Perry was the comander of the Battle of Lake Erie. -
Battle of Thames
As the British and their Native American allies retreated, the Americans persued them. General William Henry Harrison was the comander of the pursuing American fleet. They followed the British into Canada, defeating them in the Battle of Thames. Tecumseh, part of the Native American tribe the Shawnee, were among those killed in battle. -
Battle of Horseshoe Bend
Native Americans also suffered defeat in the South. In the summer of 1813, Creek warriors attacked several southern American settlements. Andrew Jackson took control 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 and Burned
The new British strategy was to attack the nations capital, Washington D.C. In August 1814, a British force marched into the capital. Dolley Madison, the President's wife, gathered all of the President's important papers and fled the White House. The British set fire to several government buildings, including the White House. -
The Writing of the Star Spangled Banner
On the back of an old envolope, Key wrote a poem called "The Star-Spangled Banner". The poem became popular and was set to music. It later became the national anthem of the United States. -
Attack on Baltomore
After attacking Washington D.C, the British moved on to Baltimore. Their first objective was Fort McHenry, which defended the city's harbor. British warships bombarded the fort throughout the night. Francis Scott Key, a young American, watched the attack. At dawn, Key saw the American flag still flying over the fort. The Americans had beaten the attack. -
Hartford Convention
In December 1814, a group of Federalists met in Hartford, Connecticut. Some delegates at the convention suggested that the New England states secede from the United States. While the delegates debated, news of the treaty arrived. The convention quickly ended. -
Treaty of Ghent
By 1814, Britian was tired of war. Peace talks began in Ghent, Belgium. on Christimas Eve 1814, the two sides signed the treaty of Ghent, which ended the war. -
Battle of New Orleans
News of the treaty took several weeks to reach the United States. In that time, the two sides fought one more battle. In January 1815, American forces under General Andrew Jackson won a stunning victory over the British in the battle of New Orleans.
