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Jefferson's Offer
Jefferson appointed Harrison as governor of Indiana Territory to administer his solution to the "Indian problem". Jefferson offered a choice to the natives to either assimilate into white society, or migrate west of the Mississippi River. -
The Napoleonic Wars
Fighting escalated and the French and the British took steps to prevent the USA from trading or supporting either side. -
Battle of Trafalagar
A British fleet virtually destroyed the French navy, and soon after, Napoleon sought to challenge England through economic means. -
The Continental System
Napoleon issued the Continental System to close the European continent to British trade. -
Orders in Council
England issues the order in council, preventing foreign nations from trading with the French. A blockade of the European coast. Required that goods shipped to France had to come from British ships or had to pass through British ports first. -
The Embargo
American ships were prohibited from leaving the United States for any foreign port. Created a serious depression in the US. -
Chesapeake-Leopard Incident
Huge push for declaring war! Several British deserters on the American ship the Chesapeake encountered the British ship Leopard. American commander James Barron refused to allow the British to search the ship and the British opened fire and Barron was forced to surrender. Four men were dragged off the ship. -
Tecumseh's Strategy
Tecumseh set out to unite all the Indians of the Mississippi Valley in order to resist American expansion. "The Prophet", as well, began speaking with his people about the dangers of white culture. He inspired a religious revival of the Indians and helped unite them against a common cause. -
Non-Intercourse Act
Trade was reopened with all nations except Britain and France. -
Baton Rouge
American settlers in west Florida seized a Spanish fort at Baton Rouge and requested the annexation of the region. Madison agreed and began the plan to annex the rest of Florida as well. -
Macon's Bill No. 2
Conditionally reopened trade with Britain and France. -
Battle of Tippecanoe
Harrison provoked a battle with Tecumseh near Prophetstown (Indiana) and drove off the Indians in the area. Tecumseh returned and found his confederacy in disarray. -
Canada Disaster
Americans invaded Canada through Detroit, but underestimated the opposition and had to retreat and surrender a fort in Detroit in August. Fort Dearborn (Chicago) fell to the Indians. -
War of 1812
America declared war of Britain. -
British Blockade
The Napoleonic Wars were now ceasing and Britain turned its full attention to American, and set up blockades and counterattacked effectively. -
Put-In-Bay
Oliver Hazard Perry, engaged and dispersed a British fleet at Put-In-Bay. This made possible another invasion of Canada by Detroit, which can be reached by water. Allowed the Americans to travel to York and burn it. -
Battle of Thames
William Henry Harrison, the American commander in the west, pushed up the Thames river and won a victory most notable for the death of Tecumseh. Weakened Native defenses and diminished their ability to defend their region. -
Battle of Horseshoe Bend
Andrew Jackson's men took terrible revenge on Native Americans-slaughtering women and children along with warriors- and broke the resistance of the Creeks. The Creek gave up more land and Jackson won a commission as a major general. -
Burning of Washington D.C.
The British sailed up the river from the Chesapeake Bay and laid siege to Washington D.C. Major morale loss to the Americans and was in response to the attack on Canada. Many buildings were burned and the capital had to be temporarily moved. -
The Battle of Fort McHenry
Major naval victory for the Americans. Fort McHenry protected the Chesapeake Bay from British navy. Francis Scott Key, a civilian and prisoner aboard a British ship, oversaw the battle and wrote a poem regarding what he saw. This poem became the national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner". -
Fort at Pensacola
Andrew Jackson led his army into the panhandle of Florida and seized the Spanish fort at Pensacola. Gained Spanish land for the US. -
The Hartford Convention
Delegates from the New England states met in Hartford, Connecticut and proposed to secede from the Union. Formally the end of the Federalist Party. -
The Treaty of Ghent
Americans gave up demands for a British renunciation of impressment and cession of Canada to the US. The British abandoned call for a creation of a Native American buffer state in the NorthWest. Signed on Christmas Eve 1814 and is named after the Dutch city of Ghent. -
Battle of New Orleans
British veterans landed in New Orleans, hoping to take the Mississippi river. Andrew Jackson set up a fort on top of a hill and inflicted massive losses to the British causing them to retreat. Major victory for the Americans and Jackson. Although, it occurred after the Treaty of Ghent. Last major battle of the War of 1812 -
The Rush-Bagot Agreement
Mutual disarmament of the border along the Great Lakes region between the British and Americans.