War of 1812 Mr Madisons War British previously

War of 1812 “Mr. Madison’s War”

• British previously in the Ohio Valley-supplying natives with weapons • British and French are at war in Europe • British seizing American ships-Jay’s Treaty • French seizing American ships-XYZ Affair • Impressments-British forcing sailors to serve in their Navy to fight Napoleon (cost of doing business on the high seas) • Chesapeake (U. S. warship) is fired on (1807)-3 Americans are killed and 4 impressed in the British navy • Americans don’t have a navy to contend with the British; Jefferson didn’t want to spend the money to build it up Pre-War

• Embargo of 1807 -No trade with anyone, “peaceable coercion” • Non-Intercourse Act (1809)-trade with all but Britain and France; authorized the President to resume trade with whoever gave up their restrictions • Macon’s Bill #2 (1810)-resumes trade with Britain and France but the first to formally recognize American neutrality, we’ll trade with them, but not their enemy Pre-War

• June 18, 1812 -war approved through Congress -rousing the natives to violence and supplying them with weapons -attack on the Chesapeake -impressments -violation of neutral shipping rights LAND? ? ? Pre-War

Supporters Opponents Democratic Republicans Federalists Farmers in the South and West (desire to expand to Florida, Canada and the West-all controlled by Britain and her ally Spain) North-NE merchants who rely on trade, especially with Britain Those who oppose the war call it “Mr. Madison’s War” War Hawks-people in Congress who clamor for war; Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun War supporters & opponents

• 1812 & 1813 -Americans make 3 attempts to capture Canada-all fail War

• Native concerns: William Henry Harrison (gov. in the Indiana territory) • Tecumseh urges all natives to unite together in their fight vs. American expansion • Tecumseh is killed later in the war War

• Naval battles • Late 1812 -USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides, ” raised morale by defeating a British ship off the coast of Nova Scotia (located in Boston today) • Several victories, many near the Great Lakes region or off the coast of VA War

• August 24 -25, 1814 • British march into D. C. and set fire to the capitol and White House (British come in and eat presidential dinner before burning it) • Dolly Madison saves the picture of Washington by cutting it out of the frame before fleeing War

• September 1814 • Battle of Fort Mc. Henry • British march from D. C. north to Baltimore harbor where they try to take Fort Mc. Henry • Americans under the command of General Armistead are victorious, 4 die • Significance-Star-Spangled Banner War

• Francis Scott Key, a local lawyer, goes to the British to negotiate the release of his friend, Dr. Beans • He is successful in the negotiation, but because he was on the ship and heard the strategy, he and 2 others are kept on the ship until the battle is over • Watched and wrote a poem about what he observed-4 stanzas • But to a drinking song “To a Nacrium in Heaven”-1 st played in a tavern; made the anthem in 1931 by President Hoover • The flag that was still waving-30 x 42 flag, hand sewn by Mary Pickersgill, she was paid $405. 90 to make it, 1/3 the cost of her home Star-Spangled Banner

• December 1814 • Treaty of Ghent: disputes back and forth eroded, the will to fight was gone, demands on both sides dropped • The treaty ends the war, returns all prisoners, restores all boundaries and settles nothing else-returns it to the status quo • December 1814 -January 1815 • Hartford Convention: NE opposition (Federalists) reaches a point where they discuss having a separate treaty with Britain, also discuss secession • Word of Federalists gathering together comes in at the same time the Treaty of Ghent is being concluded and the Battle of New Orleans occurs-results in a loss of power for the Federalists (leads to their demise) War

• • • Battle of New Orleans-Jan. 1815 Andrew Jackson Word about the treaty had not reached them yet 71 Americans dead vs. 2, 036 British Significant American victory-results in great pride/nationalism following the war • Jackson emerges as a war hero War

• June 1815 -Battle of Waterloo=Napoleon’s defeat • With Napoleon’s defeat, the seizing of ships and impressments stop, tensions die down War

• The War of 1812 is often referred to as Mr. Madison’s War-Is this a fair reference? • What do you feel is the true reason for going to war? Was American justified in going to war with Britain? • Were Americans smart in declaring war? • Was this America’s Second War for Independence? • What is the war’s legacy? • Why is this one of the forgotten wars? Questions to ponder