The War of 1812

The War of 1812

Period: Mar 1, 1809 to Jan 31, 1815

President Madison takes office

Mar 4, 1809

• United States went to war with several Native American nations
• Americans argued that the United States must stand up to Native Americans and foreign countries
• President Madison hoped to keep the United States out of war
• Americans were angry at Britain for arming Native Americans in the Northwest
• Henry Clay of Kentucky and John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, strong nationalists, became leaders in the House of Representatives.

War Hawks take power

Mar 1, 1810

• Strong sense of nationalism
• Felt that Britain was treating the United States as if it were still a British colony
• War Hawks meant thise who were eager for war with Britain
• Many New Englanders believed war with Britain would harm American trade
• British told United States they would continue impressing sailors

Relations with Great Britain Worsen

Jan 2, 1812

• The British were supplying guns and ammunition to the Native Americans on the frontier* Britain was encouraging Indians to attack United States settlements* United States and Britain disagreed over trade* The United States made a daring offer that if either the British or French would stop seizing American ships, the United Sates would halt trade with other nations* France would respect the United States' policy of staying nuetral, or uninvolved in the war between Britain and France

Congress Declares War on Britain

Jun 8, 1812

• Madison asked congress to declare war on Britain
• The House voted 79 to 29 in favor of war but the senete vote was 19 to 13
• Americans discovered that winning the war would be as easy as declaring it
• Britain still at war with Europe
• United States were not prepared for war
• British set up blockade of the American coast

America is not ready for war

Jun 18, 1812

• Jefferson's spending cuts weakened the military's strength
• Small army with less than 7,000 men
• Navy had 16 warships ready for battle
• The U.S. was still considered a new nation the only other war it had been in was the Indian War
• They had no way to get around the blockades the British set up around the coast

Britain Blockades American ports

Jul 1, 1812

• After reinforcing their troops, the Britsh were able to close off all American ports by wars end.
• A major sea battle was fought at the beginning of the war
• By 1814 the British navy had 135 warships blockading American ports
• Blockade means the action of shutting a port or road to prevent people or supplies from coming in or leaving an area
• American navy could not break the blockade still several sea captains won stunning victories

Invasion of Canada

Jul 12, 1812

• Hull feared he did not have enough soldiers, he soon retreated
• General Isaac Brock's soldiers and Native American warriors quickly surround Hull's army and forced it to surrender
• The British captured more than 2,000 American soldiers
• It was a serious defeat for the United States
• three-hour battle took place at Put-In-Bay

USS Constitution scores a victory

Aug 19, 1812

• Defeats the British warships Guerriere in a fierce battle
• Nicknamed " Old Ironsides" because British artellery fire bounced off the ships thick wooden hull
• Americans seemed as if the constitution were made of iron
• Hull asked the British captain if he had struck his flag
• American sea captain won other victories at sea, these victories cheered Americans, but did little to win the war

Battle of Lake Erie

Sep 10, 1813

• Both sides knew it was important to control the lake
• Three-hour battle took place at Put-In-Bay
• American flagship was badly damaged and camander Perry had to switch to another ship
• Americans won and forcd the British to go back to Canada
• This battle lead to the Battle of Thames when the Americans followed the British to Canada after they won the Battle at Lake Erie

Battle of Thames

Oct 5, 1813

• The British and Native American allies retreat, the Americans under General William Henry Harrison pursued them, they followed the British into Canada, defeating them
• Tecumseh died in the battle
• Without Tecumseh's leadership the Indian confederation soon fell apart

Horsehoe Bend

Mar 27, 1814

• Native Americans suffered defeat in the south
• Creek warriors attacked several southern American settlements
• Jackson defeated the Creeks at the Battle of Horshoe Bend
• The treaty that ended the fightin forced the Creeks to give up millions of acres of land

Washington D.C. Attacked and Burned

Aug 24, 1814

• The president's wife, Dolley Madison gathered important papers and fled the white house
• British set fire to several governmaent buildings
• United States army could not defend Washington
• British is the only one to ever burn down the white house
• American troops met the British at Bledensburg, Maryland

Writing the Star-Spangled banner

Sep 3, 1814

• Written by Francis Scott Key
• British warships bombared the fort through out the night if september 4
• Key, a young American, watched the attack all night and saw the American flag still flying high over the fort in the morning
• Key wrote the Star-Spangled banner on the back of an envelope about what he saw that night
• Congress made it the National Anthem in 1931

Attack on Baltimore

Sep 12, 1814

• The key to Baltimore's defense was Fort Mchenry
• From September 13th until dawn on september 14th, British rockets bombared the harbor
• Early morning the flag still waved over Fort Mchenry
• Francis Scott Key wrote a poem about the bombaredment, which later "The Star-Spangled banner" was set to music and became the National Anthem
• Fort Henry defended the city's harbor

Hartford Convention

Dec 15, 1814

• Suggested that the New England states withdraw from the United States
• Peace Treaty arrived while debating
• War over, Hartford convention quickly ended
• United States secured it's independence from Britain
• Europeon countries now have to treat the young republic with respect

Treaty of Ghent

Dec 24, 1814

• News of the treaty took several weeks to reach the United States
• The two sides fought one more battle
• Britain and United Staes agreed to restore prewar conditions
• Treaty said nothing about impressment or neutrality
• Americans felt the war of 1812 was a mistake
• Others argued thet Europe would not treat the young republic with more respect

Battle the New Orleans

Jan 8, 1815

• Andrew Jackson won the battle
• Battle was fought after the treaty was signed
• The last major battle in the war of 1812
• Battle started January 8th and didnt end until late Febuary
• The battle is known as the greatest American land victory of the war