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Declaration of War by the United States
The U.S., rallied on by War Hawks in congress, declared war against the United Kingdom. Five days after war was declared, the foreign secretary of the UK suspended the Orders of Council, the act that had prompted the war. However, it was too late to stop the war declaration. -
Colonist Failures
From July 1812 through early 1813, the Americans started unsuccessful and inconsequential campaigns against the British. Generals Hull and Dearborn along with another group planned a complex three-pronged attack that failed miserably. The Americans were disorganized compared to their Canadian foes. -
Battle of Lake Erie
Oliver Hazard Perry led the American forces against British ships in Lake Erie. Even though they faced massive casualties, they forced the British out of the Lake Erie. However, the British still had control of Lake Ontario. -
Napoleon Falls out of Power
Napoleon is usurped by the powers he once controlled. THis is significant to the War of 1812 because the British could now focus their full attention on the war with America. They didn't need to fend off two powers at the same time. -
British Assume the Offensive
Until 1814, the British put little effort into the war. After the fall of Napoleon, however, British focus turned to the U.S. The British launched several land and sea attack starting in Canada, Jamaica, and Bermuda. The biggest British success came when British troops met with U.S troops at Bladensburg, the U.S forces turned around quickly and British troops were able to storm the capital, burning many public buildings, including the White House. -
Star Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key, who was detained on a British ship, saw the Stars and Stripes flying over Fort McHenry along side the glare of rockets and bursting of bombs, Key saw the flag again in the morning still flying over McHenry, he the wrote what would later become the United States' national anthem -
Hartford Convention
The Hartford Convention, was a meeting of New England Federalists held in December 1814 and January 1815 to protest the war and plan a convention of the states to revise the Constitution. Their attitude towards war made Federalists even more unpopular throughout the country, this eventually led to rumors of seceding from the Union, however, moderate Federalists kept the convention in check, the denouncing of war and prediction of a British victory discredited the Federalists -
The Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent was the document that stated the war was over. The British demanded that the Americans abandon all Northwest territory to the Indians and to leave other points along the Canadian border. Also, they ignored the issues with impressment and neutral rights. Then they realized that this would only cause more fighting. Instead they decided to leave things as they were before the war. The news of the Treaty of Ghent took a long time to reach America. -
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans was caused by the slow news of The Treaty of Ghent. Pakenham was meant to be undetected and attack the Americans in New Orleans, but was detected by local planters. Jackson heard the news and prepared to fight. Although he misjudged their location, Jackson surprised attacked the British. The Americans held their ground and suffered 13 casualties. The British suffered 2,100. Due to the Battle of New Orleans, Jackson was known as the "Hero of New Orleans". -
The Monroe Doctrine
American now thought dealing with foregin powers would be distracting, so they issued the Monroe Doctrine. The United States would withdraw from all European affairs, and European powers would not be able to colonize any of the western hemisphere. The United States could now focus on it's development without having to worry about foregin powers, as any hope of the British gaining control had been lost in the War of 1812. Marked the end of colonization in the New World
