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The War of 1812
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President Madison Takes Office
Preisdent Madison was a quiet scholarly man who was a Republican. He helped write the Constitution and Bill of Rights. People started spreading rumors that a war with Britain was going to break out. Madison wanted to keep the United States out of war. Some Americans argued that the United States must stand up against Native Americans and foreign countries, like Britain. The United States went to war with many Native American nations. -
War Hawks Take Power
The memebers of Congress from the South and West were called War Hawks because they called for war with Britain. War Hawks had a strong sense of nationalism. They felt like Britain was still treating America like a British colony. They wanted Britain to stop treating the United States like a British colony. -
Relations with Great Britain Worsen
The British were supplying the Native Americans with guns and encouraging them to attack United States settlements. The United States and Britain began disagreeing over trade. The United States made a deal with Britain and France that was which ever country stopped seizing American ships first got to continue trade with America. France took up the offer and the United States stopped trading with Britain. -
Congress Declares War on Britain
Felix Grundy, a War Hawk hoped that a war with Britain would acheive more ambitious goals. The House voted 79 to 49 in favor of war. The Senate vote was 19 to 13 in favor of the war. John Randolph of Virginia said that people wouldn't submit to be taxed for the war. The United States planned to get Florida and Canada. The New England representatives feared that the British navy would attack New England ports. -
America is not Ready for War
The British were shocked that the United States had declared war on them. The United States only had 16 ships in its navy. The United States army was small and ill equipped because of Thomas Jefferson. The Government relied on volunteers to join the army, they paid them $124 and 360 acres of land, which was equal to a years salary for most workers. -
Britain Blockades American Ports
The British navy blockaded American ports to stop America from trading with other countries. The small American navy couldn't break the blockade. The American navy won many small victories, but they were insignificant. The British navy had 135 warships making the blockade. -
Invasion of Canada
General William Hull moved the American troops into Canada, which had very few troops. The British were led by Isaac Brock. He put the British soldiers in red coats to make them look experienced. He left a false message to scare the Americans. The Americans then fled back into the United States. -
USS Constitution Scores a Victory
Isaac Hull was the catain of the USS Constitution. He spotted the British ship Guerriere. The Constitution shot off both the main mast and mizzen mast of the Guerrire. In the end the Americans won. -
Battle of Lake Erie
American captain, Oliver Hazard Perry designed and built his own ships. The British destoyed Perry's ship so he took down the flag, rowed over to another ship and hung the flag back up. Then he continued to fight. The Americans won this battle. -
Battle of Thames
After the British lost at the Battle of Lake Erie their allies and them retreated to Canada. American general, Henry Harrison persued them. In the battle Tucumseh, Britain's ally died which caused the Indian Confederation to fall apart. The Americans won this battle. -
Horseshoe Bend
This batle was between Tenessee officer, Andrew Jackson and the Creek Indians. The Creeks were allies with Tucumseh before he died in the Batlle of Lake Erie. The Cherokee helped the Americans. After much fighting the Creek leader walked into the American camp and surrendered. -
Washington, D.C. Attacked and Burned
British ships dropped off an invasion force in Chesapeake Bay. American troops met them at Bladensburg, Maryland. Madison watched the battle, but to his demise the British defeated the troops and kept on marching towards Washington D.C. and the White House. The British burned Washington D.C.. Dolley Madison, the president's wife gathered some important papers and a potrait of George Washington. She then fled to the South. -
Attack on Baltimore
The British went North from the White House. The British bombarded the harbor with rockets for many hours. The British withdrew because the American flag was still over Fort McHenry when the attack was over. Francis Scott Key watched this battle. -
Writing of the Star Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key saw the battle at Baltimore. He wrote the Star Spangled Banner about the battle at Baltimore. He wrote it on the back of an old envelope. It became the national anthem in 1931. -
Hartford Convention
Delegates from New England met in Hartford, Connecticut. They were mostly Federalists so they disliked the Republican president. They also didn't like the war. They threatened to leave the union. It eneded up being meaningless because the war ended. -
Treaty of Ghent
Britain and America agreed to restore prewar condidtions. The treaty said nothing about impressment or neutrality. John Quincy Adams summed up the treaty in one sentence, "Nothing was adjusted, nothing was settled". The treaty made Europe have more respect for the United States. The treaty also gave the Americans new pride in their country. -
Battle of New Orleans
The British tried to travel up the Mississippi River, but were intercepted by Andrew Jackson. This was the last battle of the war and took place after the Treaty of Ghent was signed. News of the treaty didn't get to New Orleans in time to stop the battle. The Americans won this battle.
