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The War Hawks Take Power
Henry Clay and John C, Calhoun, the leaders of the House of Representitives, were supporters of the War Hawks
Clay was the most outspoken War Hawk
The War Hawks were egar to go to war with Britian.
Many New Englanders believed war would mess up trade.
New England had the strongest opposition to the war -
Period: to
The War of 1812
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President Madison Takes Office
When Madison took office, tension with Britian was high.
Americans were still angry with at Britian for arming Native Americans who lived in the Northwest.
The British continued the impressment of American sailors.
To many Americans, the country's honor was at stake.
But, Americans still felt a new sense of nationalism. -
Relations With Britian Worsen
Tenson with Britian was high when Madison became president
The relations had been worsening steadily in the early months of 1812
The British refused to stop impressing American Soldiers
Britian also refused to avoid war with America.
Americans were still mad at the British for giving Native Americans arms -
Congress Declares War On Britian
The Relations with Britian were worsening in the early Spring months.
The House Of Representitives voted 79 to 49 in favor of war. The Sentate had voted 19 to 13 in favor of war.
President Madison was the last to give in to the war fever
When the war first began, the British were also at war in Europe.
British still wouldn't meet Americans' demand to avoid war. -
America Is Not Ready For War
At first, America thought they would win.
The spending cuts made by Jefferson had weakened the Americain military.
The army only had fewer than 7,000 men.
There wre only 16 warships ready for war.
The U.S. was not prepared for war. -
British Blockades American Ports
In the first days of the warr, Britian began to set up a blockade of the American coast.
British blockaded American ports so Ameicans couldn't trade with France.
By 1814 the British had 135 navy warships blockading American ports.
After the British reinforced their troops, they were able to close off all Americans
Britian was still impressing American soldiers -
Invasion of Canada
General William Hull lead American troops into Canadafrom Detriot.
The War Hawks expected Canadaians to welcome the chance to overthrow the British Rule.
Hull feared he didn't have enough soldiers, this made Hull unsure of himself.
General Isaac Brock, the British commander took advantage of the American commander's confusion.
Native American and British soldiers quickly surrounded the Americans and forced them to surrender -
USS Costitution Scores A Victory
The battle was fierce
British artillery fire bounced right off the ship.
The USS Constitution seemed as if it were mad e of iron.
According to tradition, American soldiers called had nicknamed the USS Constitution "Old Iron Sides".
The USS Constitutiom defeted the Guerriere, a Britishwarship. -
Battle of Lake Erie
The battle was three hours long.
It took place at Put-In-Bay, thewestern part of the lake.
The Americanflagship was badly damaged durring the battle.
Oliver Hazard Perry, the American commander, switched to another ship and continued to battle.
The Americans defeated the British. -
Battle of Thames
The British and Native American allies retreted.
The Americans were under General Henry Harrison.
They followed the British into Canada.
Tecumseh, the Shawnee war chief, was among those killed in the battle
The Americans defeated the British. -
Horseshoe Bend
Native Americans attacked several American settlements in the South.
Andrew Jackson took command of the American forces that were in Georgia.
The creeks were defeated by Jackson at the battle.
The creeks were forced to give up millions of acres of land because of the treaty they signed. -
Washington D.C Attacked and Burned
The British's new strategy was toattack the American's capital
The president wife, Dolley Madison, gathered her husband's important papers, then she fled the white house.
Other govenment buildings were also burned by the British.
Americans were shocked to learn that the American army couldn't defend Washington
After the British moved on to Baltimore -
Attack On Baltimore
The British's first objective was Fort McHenry.
Fort McHenry defended the city's harbor.
The British warships bombardedFort McHenry throughout the night.
The Americans won!
At dawn, Fracis Scott Keysaw the American flag, still flyin over the fort
At dawn, Francis Scott Key saw the American flag still flying over the fort. -
Writing The Star-Spangled Banner
A young American named Francis Scott Key wrote the Star- Spangled Banner.
The Star-Spangled Banner tells the story of Key's night watch.
It was writen on the back of an old envolope.
The Star- Spangled Banner was writen as a poem.
Congress mad the Star- Spangled Banner the national anethem in 1931 -
Hardford Convention
A group of Federalists met up in Hardford, Connecticut.
The federalists called the War of 1812 " Mr. Madison's War".
Some suggested that the New England states should secede from the United States.
When news of the Treaty of Ghent came, the Hardford Convention quickly ended -
Treaty of Ghent
British were tired of war by 1814.
Talks of peace began in Ghent, Belgium.
On Christmas eve, the two sides signed a treaty.
The war had finally ender after two years!
Everything returned to the way it was before war -
Battle of New Orleans
It took several weeks for the news of the Treaty of Ghent to reach the United States.
One more battle was fought in that time, the Battle of New Orleans.
The American forces were under General Andrew Jackson.
The Americans won a stunning victory.
Federalists critized President James Madison.
