The War of 1812Mr. Madison’s War

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War breaks out again between the United States

and Britain in 1812.

Mr. Madison’s WarThe War of 1812

The Second War of Independence

• Born in Virginia, 1751• Attended Princeton and

became a lawyer.• Father of the Constitution and

Bill of Rights.• Secretary of State during

Jefferson’s Presidency• President, 1809 to 1817

• Shortest US president

• Born in Virginia, 1751• Attended Princeton and

became a lawyer.• Father of the Constitution and

Bill of Rights.• Secretary of State during

Jefferson’s Presidency• President, 1809 to 1817

• Shortest US president

President #4- James Madison

James Madison• Becomes the 4th President• Wife Dolley is very well liked• France and England are fighting a

12 year war.• Madison remained neutral

1806: England closed ports under French

control to foreign shipping (incl. US), seized US ships & impressed Americans.

Napoleon ordered seizure of all merchant ships that

entered British ports.

Impressment An act of kidnapping a ship, its contents,

men and forcing them into your navy

Hard to Stay Neutral• The French seized 500 American ships.• The British seized 900 American ships.• The British impressed American sailors to fight for

the British.• The British armed Native Americans in the west

with high powered weapons to fight the Americans.

War Hawks

Members of Congress, who wanted war why Great Britain….led by

John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay.

War Hawks

Members of Congress, who wanted war why Great Britain….led by

John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay.

Henry ClayKentucky

Henry ClayKentucky

John C. CalhounSouth Carolina

John C. CalhounSouth Carolina

War Hawks

Why fight with Britain?

1. U.S. must defend its neutrality!2. Stop impressment3. Remove British forts in north

America4. Tecumseh5. Desire for Canada and Florida6. Called 2nd War of Independence

War Hawks

Why fight with Britain?

1. U.S. must defend its neutrality!2. Stop impressment3. Remove British forts in north

America4. Tecumseh5. Desire for Canada and Florida6. Called 2nd War of Independence

Henry ClayKentucky

Henry ClayKentucky

John C. CalhounSouth Carolina

John C. CalhounSouth Carolina

Presidential Election of 1808

Presidential Election of 1812

Why go to war with Britain?

• They were seizing American ships.

• They were arming Native Americans to attack Americans.

• War Hawks stirred a sense of nationalism (pride in one’s nation).

• Americans were still angry from colonial days.

Causes of the War of 1812

• France and Britain hurt American trade by seizing ships.• Britain impressed US sailors into the British navy.• Britain encouraged attacks by Natives on settlers in the territory

between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River.• British refused to remove troops from the Louisiana Territory.• War Hawks wanted to add Canada to the States as well as Florida

from Spain.• Americans desired the expansion of the country.• video

PRINCIPLES WE FOUGHT FOR

•Defend our neutrality•Freedom of the seas

•Defend our self interest

madwar

President James Madison

President James Madison

Madison brought the US into this war to defend the neutrality

of the US.

Would this be a violation of President Washington’s policy of

keeping the US out of war and neutral?

On June 18, 1812 the United States declares war on England

http://www.reformation.org/war-of-1812.enh.jpg

Map war1812

1. US unprepared for war.

2. Fighting takes place

3. Great Lakes4. Washington DC

5. New Orleans

The War in Canada– Americans were unprepared for war– The British captured Detroit and the

Americans failed to capture Canada– Many Native Americans helped the

British because they wanted to stop Americans from taking more land

American Invasion of Canada

•America Hull surrendered Detroit to smaller Brit. force – he was tricked!!•Britain victory encouraged Indians to unite and gave them guns•America failed to take Canada

American Problems•The US was unprepared militarily:

Had a 12-ship navy vs. Britain’s800 ships.

Americans disliked a draft → preferred to enlist in the disorganized state militias.

•Financially unprepared:

Flood of paper $.

•Regional disagreements.

The War at Sea– The U.S. Navy was young and

outnumbered– In November of 1812, the

British blockaded the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays

– The blockade grew throughout the war

– By 1813, most American ships were unable to leave their ports

Events in the War of 1812: Fort Mackinac Aug. 16, 1812

• The US lost Fort Mackinac, MI, to the British because they didn’t know that a war had started.

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of Detroit Aug. 16, 1812

– Hull was ordered to invade Canada. To get ahead, he sent sick soldiers, heavy guns & official papers there. He didn’t know that the war had started. The boat was captured at Fort Malden. Britain now knew his plans.

– Hull attacked Fort Malden on August 6 and 2 days later retreated across the Detroit River because Fort Mackinac fell and more British reinforcements were coming.

– Hull sent 350-400 men to find a supply route that didn’t pass Fort Malden.

– The British counterattacked and asked for Hull’s surrender which stated the British couldn’t control his Indians when the battle started. Hull refused and sent his militia to guard the town in case of an Indian attack. He left the river unguarded.

– 700 Indians with Tecumseh & 700 British regulars crossed Detroit River.– Artillery killed 4 US officers. Hull raised the white flag and surrendered.– The British captured:

• 1,600 Ohio volunteers but later released• 582 American regulars• 33 cannons• 2,500 muskets • the brig Adams (soon renamed Detroit).

– The British suffered no casualties. – Hull and the regulars were taken to Quebec as POW’s.– Hull was court-martialed & sentenced to death, later pardoned by

President Madison.

Events in the War of 1812: Constitution “Old Ironsides” vs. Guerriere

• Constitution outgunned and was faster than any other ship.

• Constitution got close to Guerriere while taking little damage.

• Americans let the British fire first on the up roll of the waves, The British shot high into Constitution’s rigging and sails which did little damage.

• The Americans waited to fire on the down roll, striking Guerriere’s hull and masts that destroyed the British ship.

• Constitution suffered little damage and had 7 killed and 7 wounded

• Guerriere was too damaged to salvage and was burned.

• Britain had 79 casualties.• Victory over Guerriere helped establish

the ability of the US Navy.

The USS Constitution captures HMS Guerriere, 19 August 1812

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of Frenchtown

• Background: – Detroit had been captured by the British and

General Harrison’s goal was to take Detroit back.• General Winchester split his troops in two in

order to take lightly guarded British supplies but he failed to fortify his camp afterwards which was in an open field.

• The British, who outnumbered Winchester’s troops, found out where they were and camped only 5 miles from him to launch an attack.

• Winchester lost the battle quickly at his camp and was captured where he ordered the surrender of the other half of the troops.

• The aftermath: – The British left for Fort Malden with the healthy

POW’s but left the wounded POW’s at Frenchtown. The day after the battle some of the Indians killed between 30 and 60 prisoners in what became known as the Raison River Massacre.

• General Harrison decided not to attack Detroit.

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of York (Toronto) 1813

• The Americans planned to attack the port of Kingston, the main British naval base on Lake Ontario, but Major Dearborn decided to attack York (modern Toronto and capital of Upper Canada) instead. It wasn’t defended well but York had:

– 2 British ships and one under construction– Dearborn thought that destroying the ships would hurt British

control of the lake.– 2 companies of troops – 300 dockyard workers and militia, 700 men– 50-100 Mississauga and Chippewa Indians

• The Americans had:– 15 boats at Sackett’s Harbour NY – 1,700 troops, many were riflemen and infantry

• The Americans landed West of York• The Americans captured the battery after 3 hours but before

the British surrendered, they destroyed the ship under construction, the naval storehouse and the magazine at the government house.

• The Americans were going to remove the flying British flag at the government house when it exploded and killed 38 and wounded 222. General Pike died of his wounds.

• The Americans looted and destroyed the remaining government and military buildings.

• The later burning of Washington DC was retaliation for this.

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of Lake Erie Sept. 10, 1813

• (August 1, 1813) Britain withdrew its blockade due to low supplies and the American fleet sailed into Lake Erie and watched the British fleet from Fort Malden and broke their supply lines.

• (Sept. 10) Lawrence and 8 other American ships, 54 guns vs. Detroit and 5 other ships 63 cannons that had a range twice as long as the Americans, met on Lake Erie.

• Lawrence suffered about 80% casualties and Commodore Perry had to abandon ship and row to Niagara to attack again.

• The British tried to turn their ships to face with the non-bombarded side but collided with each other and were entangled.

• Perry attacked and the British surrendered.• Results:

– American control of Lake Erie – Improved American morale– Fort Malden was abandoned and the British retreated up

to Thames River near Detroit– 6 ships were taken by the Americans– Perry took Harrison’s army near Thames River to fight

Battle of Lake Erie by William Henry Powell (1823 - 1879) Oil on canvas, 1873

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of Lake Erie

“We have met

the enemy

and they are

ours…”

Perry

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of Thames Oct. 4, 1813

• Tecumseh’s warriors: – Tecumseh’s warriors ambushed the Americans on

their way to the Thames River. They killed 3 and wounded six but the Americans had 3,000 troops so Tecumseh retreated upriver.

• The next day, Tecumseh's confederacy joined the British Army on the north bank of the Thames near Moraviantown.

• The British decided to fight the Americans. – The warriors positioned themselves in a swamp

on the right side of the British to push the Americans to the river.

– The US attacked the British and Indians.– The British lines broke and they retreated leaving

the warriors.– The US concentrated on the swamp battle.– The warriors were outnumbered. – Tecumseh was killed.– The Warriors retreated.

• Chiefs from six tribes signed a peace treaty with Harrison.

• The Indian Confederacy ended.

The death of Tecumseh during the Battle of Thames, in which U.S. forces were commanded by William Henry Harrison, in 1813. Photo from the book, 

Encyclopedia of American Indian Wars by Jerry Keenan.

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of Horseshoe Bend

• Background:– (1813–14), The Creeks were in a civil war between those who

followed Tecumseh and those who were willing to change their way of living to appease the whites.

– Red Sticks (followers of Tecumseh) attacked white settlements.– The Red Sticks went to Pensacola to get firearms from the

Spanish and were ambushed by Americans from Fort Mims.– The Red Sticks counterattacked & the US retreated to Fort Mims.– The US didn’t reinforce defenses and the main gate was left

open.– (August 30, 1813), The Red Sticks conducted a surprise attack on

553 frontiersmen at Fort Mims.– The Red Sticks defeated the Americans and then massacred

most of the survivors including women and children.

• In response to the massacre, General Andrew Jackson and 5,000 militiamen attacked a fortified Creek village at Horseshoe Bend

– Red Sticks were greatly outnumbered– Armaments destroyed the defenses– About 800 warriors died – 500 women and children were imprisoned– Andrew Jackson defeated the Creek Indians

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of Horseshoe Bend

Result: Treaty of Fort Jackson

(1814) ceded most of their lands in southern Alabama to Georgia

Events in the War of 1812: Burning of Washington D.C. August 24, 1814

• British defeated American militiamen at the Battle of Bladensburg, Maryland, where President Madison took command of one of the batteries.

• The British marched unopposed into Washington, D.C.

• Government officials left the capital.• The British army entered Washington.• British troops looted and burned the

White House, the Capitol building, House of Representatives and Library of Congress, a number of federal buildings, and several private homes to get revenge for York.

• (August 26) The British withdrew.

Tom Freeman's painting of the August 24, 1814 burning of the White House by British troops during the War of 1812.

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of Plattsburgh September 11, 1814

• Background: – About 15,000 British troops invaded New York

from Canada with Royal Navy ships on Lake Champlain.

– They wanted to reach NYC to divide the US in half. – 25 miles south lay the village of Plattsburgh and

Cumberland Bay defended by 1500 regulars, 2,500 militiamen & 14 ships.

• The Fight:– The armies fought in Plattsburgh.– The British fleet rounded Cumberland Head where

they met the anchored Americans ready to fight. – The British were unable to maneuver due to lack

of wind which gave the advantage to the Americans.

– Within three hours the British colors were struck and their commander was dead.

– The British troops withdrew back to Canada because they couldn’t be supported by the navy.

• Results:– American victory cancelled British plans to control

Lake Champlain Helped to secure the border with Canada

Thomas Macdonough was in command of the decisive American naval victory near Plattsburg on Lake Champlain. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of Baltimore Sept. 12, 1814

• British troops landed near Baltimore.• Defense of Baltimore was well prepared to slow the

advancement of the British troops.• 9,000 US militia • The British crossed the North Point Peninsula between two

rivers where the Maryland militia waited with 3,000. • The British General was killed.• The British broke through the first two American lines and

the militia withdrew.• They failed to break the third American line, and their land

path to Baltimore was blocked.• The British tried to capture Fort McHenry to open the water

route to Baltimore:– The British had five bomb ketches capable of firing mortar

rounds 4,000 yards, twice the range of the guns of the Fort.– The rounds dropped all day and night– When morning broke and the civilians saw the American flag

still flying, they were relieved.– Francis Scott Key wrote the first verse of the Star Spangled

Banner that would later become the US national anthem.– The British withdrew.– It was an American victory.

• Star spangled banner• video

Bombardment of Fort McHenryc. 1828-1830

Alfred Jacob Miller (1810-1874)1901-2-3

Events in the War of 1812: Hartford Convention 1814

• New England shipping suffered because of the war but the Federalists overlooked the boom in industry in New England.

• Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont sent delegates to Hartford for secret meetings. Some wanted to secede or at least threaten secession to get their way but most thought that was too radical and were worried that seceding from the Union could start a civil war.

• Hartford Convention's final demands: – Federal financial aid to help New England's trade economy– 7 Constitutional amendments

• The members of the Hartford Convention sent messengers with their demands to Washington.

• They arrived as news of the Treaty of Ghent and the victory in New Orleans reached the city.

• As a result of the timing, no real thought was given to the demands.

• Importance: – continued the idea of states' rights– Federalist party began to die out

The End of the War of 1812:Treaty of Ghent December 24, 1814

• Treaty of Ghent • Restored pre-war status:

– End hostilities– End British influence in Northwest

Territory– Restoration of conquered territory– Arbitration for boundary disputes

The Treaty of Ghent– In December, 1815, British and

Americans met in Ghent, Belgium to negotiate a peace treaty

– Results of the war:• Britain and American became

better allies• America gained respect from other

countries

Events in the War of 1812: Battle of New Orleans Jan. 8, 1815

• A British fleet of more than 50 ships prepared to attack New Orleans.

• General Jackson moved his army (7,000 militia) to New Orleans to help defend it.

• News of the peace treaty hadn’t yet reached either side.

• 7,500 British attacked their position.• Jackson had fortified his position very well. • Fighting lasted half an hour.• British withdrew• U.S. victory

– British casualties: about 2,000 (289 killed)– American casualties: 71 (31 killed)

• Jackson became an American hero• Song• video

Effects of the War of 1812

• The British recognized US boundaries and left the Northwest Territory.

• The US gained national pride.• US industry increased due to the end of trade with Britain.• The Federalist Party, which was against the war, disappeared. • Weakened Native resistance

Expanding the Nation’s Boundaries: War of 1812

• PBS video• African Americans in the war of 1812