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President Madison takes office
Tensions with Britain were very high when President Madison took office. The Americans were angred by Britain arming the Natives in the Northwest. Americans also did not like that the British continued with the impressment of American sailors. -
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The War of 1812
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War Hawks Take Power
The war hawks were those who were eager for war with Britian. The leaders of this group were Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun. Many people in New England believed that war with Britian would only harm America. They did not see eye to eye with the war hawks. -
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Relations with Great Britian Worsen
The British told the United States that the impressment of sailors would continue. At the same time Natve Amerivans on the Northwest began new attacks on the frontier settlements. Congress would later declare war on Britian. -
Congress Declares War on Britian
War did not come at a good time for Britian. Back in Europe they were still fighting another war. The Americans were confident that they were going to win, at the start of the war. American soon realized they werent ready for war either. -
America is not Ready for war
Jefferson cut the U.S. military budget when he was president, thus weakening the army.There was less than 7,000 men in the army. In the navy there was only 16 ready to fight ships. -
Britian Blockades American Ports
In the early days of the war Britian set up blockades along the American coast. A blockade prevents people or goods from coming into or out of an area. By 1814 the British had 135 warships blocking American ports. -
Invasion of Cananda
American troops under General William Hull invaded Canada from detriot. Hull soon retreated because he feared that he did not have enough soldiers. General Isaac Brock, the British commander took advantage of the confusion Hull's confusion and surounded the American Army. Hull was forced to surrender. -
USS Constituotin scores a victory
At the beginning of the war a major sea battle was fought.The USS Constitution defeated the British warship, Guerriere. The American sailors nicknamed the Constitution "Old Ironsides" because the British artillery fire bounced off the ship's thick wooden hull. It seemed as if the Constitution was made of iron to the Americans. -
Second Battlle of Sacketts Harbor
A British force was transported across Lake Erie and they attempted to capture the town of Sacketts Harbor. This town was the base for the American Naval Squadron on the lake. -
Battle of Lake Erie
Both sides of the war were aware that controlling Lake Erie was a key element to winning. A very important three-hour battle took place at Put-In-Bay, the western part of the lake. An Amkerican flagship was very badly damged so the American commander, Oliver Hazard Perry, switched to a different flagship. He continued the fight until it was won. -
Battle of Thames
Since the Americans were now in control of Lake Erie, The British were forced to leave Detroit and retreat back to Canada. As the British retreated, the Americans pursued them. THey followed the British into Canada and defeated them in the Battle of Thames. In the battl Tecumseh was one of those killed. -
Battle of Horseshoe Bend
Creek Warriors attacked serveral American settlements in the south. Andrew Jackson took command of the American forces in Georgia. In the month of March, 1814, Jackson defeated the Creeks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. The treaty that ended the battle made the Creeks give up millions of acres of land. -
Battle of Fort Oswego
This battle occured because the British tried to raid Fort Oswego. It was partially successful. Lake Ontario was frozen during the early months of 1814. The British and American naval squadrons had built frigates, or ships. The British completed their ships first, but the American ships were more powerful, thus leaving the Britsh outclassed. -
Washington, D.C. Attacked and Burned
The BRitish had a new strategy and that was to attack the nations capital, Washingtion, D.C. As a British force marched into the city, Dolley MAdison, the presidents wife, gathered up important papers and fled the White House. The British set fire to, not only the White House, but also several other government buildings. -
The Writing of the Star Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key wrote on the back of an old evelope a poem. He called this poem the "Star-Spangled Banner" which told the story of the nights watch. As the poem became more popular it was set to music. It was made the national anthem of the United States in the year 1931. -
Battle of Plattsburgh
This battle marked the end of the invasions from the north to the northern states.Plattsburgh was being guarded by American troops and ships. The British navy attacked, but was defeated and the Commander, Captain Goerge Downie, was killed. The army commander, Sir Goerge Prevost, retreated back to Canada. -
Attack on Baltimore
After the Attack on Washington D.C., the British moved to Baltimore. Fort McHenry, which defended the city's harbor, was the first objective of the British. In the night British warships attacked the fort. An American named Francis Scott Key witnessed the Attack. In the morning he saw th American flag flying over th fort and he knew the Americans had beaten the British. -
Hartford Convention
A group of Federalists met in Hartford Conneticut. Some delegates suggested that the New England states withdraw from the United States. While the debate of this was going on, news of a peace treaty was arriving ended the Hartford Convention. -
Treaty of Ghent
Great Britian had tired of the war and peace talks had arroused in Ghent, Belgium. On Christmas Eve of 1814, both sides signed a Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war. The treaty returned things to the way it had been before the war had happended. -
Battle of New Orleans
The treaty news took a couple of weeks to reach the U.S., in that time one final battle was fought. This was the Battle of New Orleans. General Andrew Jackson, won a stunning victory over the British. The last battle was a success for the United States.
