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The War of 1812
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President Madison Takes Office
When Madison took office there was very high tension with Britian. The Americans were very angry at Britian because they armed Native Americans in the North West. In the early months of 1812 relations with Britian only got worse. The British had told the United States they would continue to impress sailors. In June, Congress declared war on Britian. -
War Hawks Take Power
The War Hawks had a very strong sense of nationalism. They felt the British were treating the U.S. like it was a British colony. The War Hawks were willing to fight for American rights. -
Relations with Great Britian Worsen
In the early months of 1812 relations with Britian worsened. The British had told the United States that they were going to keep impressing sailors. In June of 1812, Congeress declared war on Britian. -
Congress Declares War on Britian
In June of 1812, Congress declared war on Britian. The British were still at war with Europe when war broke out between the Americans and Britian. The Americans were sure they were going to win, but by the end of the war the British had outnumbered them and were blockading them. -
America is not Ready for War
The U.S. was not ready for war. They only had 16 ships to fight against the huge fleet of the British. The army was very small and not equipted. Young men were attracted by money and to own their own farm. They enlisted but were not trained. They fleed after a few months. -
British Blockades American Ports
Early in the war the British set up a blockade of the American Coast. By 1814,135 warships of the British navy were blockading American ports. By reinforcing the British troops, by the end of the war they were able to close off all American ports. -
Invasion of Canada
General Hull moved American troops into Canada. The Canadians were led by a clever British leader, General Brock. The British made it seem like they were helping the Canadians. Brock also sent a message to the Americans with false information, it exaggerated the number of Indians fighting on the Canadians side. Brocks scare tactics made Hull and his American troops flee. -
USS Constitution Scores a Victory
While Britian and America were at war, a major sea battle was fought. The USS Constitution won against the British in August of 1812. Because British artillary bounced off the hull of the ship; its nickname was "Old Ironside". -
Battle of Lake Erie
In 1813, the Americans set out for war to win control of Lake Erie. Captain Oliver had no ships so he designed and built his own. The British battered Perry's ship and left it. Perry rowed over to another ship and put his flag up and continued to fight. The Americans won. -
Battle of Thames
After the death of Tecumseh, the Indian Confederation fell apart without his leadership. With the Indian Confederation apart, it was clear that the Americans had won at the Battle of Thames. -
Horseshoe Bend
In the summer of 1813, Creek warriors attacked many Southern American settlments. In Georgia, Andrew Jackson took command of American forces. In March 1814, Jackson had defeated the Creek warriors at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. -
Washington D.C. Attacked and Burned
In the White House, the presidents wife was waiting for him to return. Soon afterwards, British troops marched into the capital. Dolley gathered all her important posessions and fled south. She was not there to see them burn the White House. -
Attack on Baltimore
The British's first target was Fort McHenry. Through the night of September 13, 1814, British warships bombarded the fort. This was the time of when Francis Scott Key wrote the Star - Spangled Banner. -
Writing of the Star Spangled Banner
On the night of September 13, 1814 Francis Scott Key watched the British ships bombard Fort McHenry. At dawn, Francis still saw the American flag over the fort. He described the watch in a poem also known as the Star Spangled Banner. Later it became our national anthem. -
Hartford Convention
In December 1814 New England delegates met in Hartford, Connecticut. Many of them were Federalists. The Federalists disliked the Republican president and the war. The Hartford Convention delegates threatened to leave the Union if the war continued. News of a peace treaty arrived while delegates debated on what they were going to do. Signing the treaty quickly ended the Hartford Convention. The protest was meaningless with the war over. -
Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent ended the war between Britian and the United States. After the two sides signed the treaty everything went back to normal. (As it was before the war). The two sides had one more battle, Andrew Jackson's forces won a shocking victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans. -
Battle of New Orleans
On January 8, 1815 the British repeatedly attacked. They marched toward American trenches, 2,000 British were shot and only 7 Americans died. The Americans won.
