-
Period: to
War of 1812
Allison Pasco
Period 1 -
President Madison Takes Office
Americans were angry when Madison was he was elected. To most Americans, the contry's honor was at stake. -
War Hawks Take Power
Most New Englanders believed war with Britain would harm American trade. Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun were supporters of war hawks. They were also leaders in the House of Representatives. -
Relations with Great Britain Worsen
Britain continued to impress sailors, while Native Americans in the Northwest began new attacks on frontier settlements. In June, Congress declared war on Britain. -
Congress Declares War on Britain
Americans were very confident that they would win the war. But, soon, it became apparent that the United States was not prepared for war. The Navy had only 16 warships, and the army was so small it had fewer then 7,000 men. There was a major battle happening at sea. -
America is not Ready for War
With the Navy only having 16 warships and less then 7,000 men, America was clearly not ready for war. Even though the Americans were very confident about winning the war, they started to slip. The British navy had 135 warships blockading American ports. After reinforcing their troops, the British were able to close off all ports by the war's end. -
Britain Blockades American Ports
A few days into the war, the British set up a blockade of the American coast. The British navy had 135 warships blockading American ports. After reinforcing their troops, the British were able to close off all American ports by the war's end. -
Invasion of Canada
Even before the war began, war hawks were demanding an incasion of Canada. They expected Canadians to welcome the chance to throw off British rule. They didn't do very well trying to invade Canada. -
USS Constitution scores a victory
In the beginning of the war, a major battle was fought at sea. The USS Constitution defeated the British warship "Guerriere" in a fierce battle. American sailors nicknamed the Constitution "Old Ironsides" because British artillery fire bounced off the ship's thick wooden hull. To the Americans, it seemed as if the Constitution were made of iron. -
Battle of Lake Erie
The Americans tried to invade Canada, but failed. The British Captured more then 2,000 American soldiers. American forces had better luck of Lade Erie. A ke three-hour battle took place at Put-In-Bay, in the western part of the lake. Oliver Hazard Perry lead the Americans to victory. -
Battle of Thames
As the British and their Native American allies retreated, the Americans under General William Henry Harrison pursued them. They followed the British into Canada, defeating them in the Battle of Thames. -
Treaty of Ghent
Britain was tired of war. Peace talks becan in Ghent, Belgium. On Christmas Eve 1814, the two sides signed the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war. The treaty returned things to the way they had been before. -
Battle of Horseshoe Bend
Native Americans also suffered defeat in the South. warriors attacked several southern American settlements. Andrew Jackson took command of American Forces in Georgia. In March 1814, Jackson defeated the Creeks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. -
Washington, D.C Attacked & Burned
The new British strategy was to attack the nation's capital, Washington, DC. The British set fire to several government buildings, including the White House. Americans were shocked to learn that their army could not defend Washington. -
Attack on Baltimore
The British then moved on to Baltimore. Their first objective was Fort McHenry, which defended the city's harbor. British warships bombarded the fort throughout the night of Septemper 13, 1814. -
Writing of the Star Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key watched the attack on Baltimore. At dawn, Key saw the American flag still flying over the fort. The Americans had beaten off the attack. On the back of an old envelope, Key wrote a poem that he called "The Star-Spangled Banner". It told the story the his night's watch. The poem became popular and was set to music. In 1931, Congress made it the official national anthem of the United States. -
Hartford Convention
A group of Federalists met in Hartford, Connecticut. Some delegates to the Hartford Convention suggested that the New England states secede from the United States. While the delagates debated, news of the peace treaty arrived. With the war over, the Hartford Convention quickely ended. -
Battle of New Orleans
News of the treaty took several weeks to reach the United States. In that time, the two sides fought one more battle. In January 1815, American forces under General Andrew Jackson won a stunning victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans.