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Impressment and the Embargo Act
For many years, impressment, the act of Britain forcing people to serve in their navy, was a cause of conflict between the US and Britain. It greatly angered Americans during the Napoleonic Wars when sailors on neutral ships were taken by the British. Jefferson became fed up with impressment, so he passed the Embargo Act which prohibited all American exports. Impressment was the beginning of another period of tension between the US and Britain and therefore, a major cause of the War of 1812. -
Battle of Tippecanoe
In 1811, western farmers believed the British were egging on Indians in that area, hoping they would attack Americans.General William Henry Harrison kept pressure on the Indians because of this false belief, but Tecumseh, the Shawnee chief, retaliated by leading a political movement to unite Indian tribes against Americans. The two groups met at Prophetstown on November 7, 1811, where the Americans destroyed Prophetstown after the Indians attacked, lost confidence, and then retreated. -
US Declares War
America became fed up with British impressment, has proven their power against the Indians at Prophetstown, were developing a desire to acquire more land, and the War Hawks were pushing forcefully for war. With all these factors, impressment being the most important, America declared war on June 18, 1812, five days before the Orders in Council were repealed, ending impressment. -
Battle of Lake Erie
The British had been taking control of the lake and the areas surrounding it and the Americans felt threatened. President Madison ordered Captain Oliver Hazard Perry to lead an attack on the British fleet and won. This gave the Americans control over the lake again. -
Battle of Thames
After the Americans led by Oliver Hazard Perry took control of Lake Erie, the British were unable to defend Detroit. When the British fell back, General Harrison quickly defeated them at the Thames River. The Battle of Thames had great repercussions because the Indians lost hope after Tecumseh was killed. -
Fall of Napoleon
After Napoleon invaded Russia and failed, the Allies overtook him. This allowed for the British to suddenly be able to use heir full force against America. -
British Burn Washington D.C.
The British entered into Washington D.C. and burned the White House as a retaliation for the American attack on the city or York in British-Canada. -
Hartford Convention
The Hartford Convention was a meeting of New England Federalist that were to protest the war and plan to revise the Constitution. It lasted from December-January. -
Treaty of Ghent
The American delegation and British commissioners discussed peace terms. Since the British did not want the Americans to fight on, they did not press their points on America. Britain agreed to leave things as they were before the war. The treaty was the official end the the fights and war. -
Battle of New Orleans
The Treaty of Ghent was not communicated to the in time to the military. Unaware of the treaty, General Andrew Jackson defeated the advancing British troops. The battle convinced European nations that the United States and its republic was going to stay. The news of the triumph reached Washington the same time the news from Ghent did. People confused the order of events, considering the standoff as a battle of victory. -
Rush-Bagot Agreement
United States and Britain both agreed to demilitarize the Great Lakes. The agreement limited each military on the Great Lakes and eventually the entire border. Some of the tensions leading to the War of 1812 were peacefully resolved. -
Monroe Doctrine
President James Monroe declared American continents were not open to European colonization. In return, the United States would not interfere with internal European affairs. The doctrine expressed that the U.S. completed independence and wanted to focus on its own development. Therefore, it was seen as the final stage in the evolution of American independence and shut down any hope the British had in the beginning of the War of 1812 to regain control.
