The War of 1812

The Second War for Independence

Chesapeake Incident

Napoleon renewed his war with Britain 1806 – Britain passes Orders in Council

Closed European ports under French control Britain impressed 6000 American sailors Chesapeake – American frigate off the coast of

Virginia Confronted by British who demanded the

surrender of deserters – Americans say no British fire on the Chesapeake

Infuriated Americans

Embargo Act of 1807

Attempt to use economic pressure to force Britain and France to remove restrictions on American trade

British and French continued to seize American ships and steal their cargo

Non-Intercourse Act of 1809

Replaced the Embargo Act US could trade with world except Br and Fr

Remained US policy until 1812 Unexpected Consequences

New England was forced to become self-sufficient again (reopen factories)

Laid the groundwork for US industrialism Jefferson, who was a critic of an industrial

America, ironically contributed to Hamilton’s view of America

Madison’s Gamble

Madison wins election of 1808 Crippled by factions in party

Macon’s Bill No. 2 If one country stopped attacks upon American

shipping, the United States would cease trade with the other, unless that country agreed to recognize the rights of the neutral American ships as well.

Gamble failed

Britain instigates the Indians

Tecumseh and the Prophet Movement of Indian unity and cultural renewal Tecumseh meets with

British General Brock British armed the hostile

Indians

Battle of Tippecanoe - 1811

General William Henry Harrison – Governor of Indiana Territory

Harrison gathered an army and advanced on Tecumseh’s headquarters

Prophet attacked Harrison and was routed Battle of Tippecanoe made Harrison a national

hero and solidified Tecumseh’s alliance with Britain

Mr. Madison’s War

War Hawks – wanted war Wipe out the menace of the Indians Restore confidence in the republican experiment Felix Grundy – Tennessee Henry Clay of Kentucky

Madison asks Congress for War on June 1, 1812

Federalists from New England opposed the conflict

War of 1812

American Problems: US was unprepared militarily

Had only a 12 ship Navy versus 800 British ships

Americans disliked the draft – preferred instead to enlist disorganized state militias

Financially unprepared Flood of paper money Revenue from import tariffs declined

Regional disagreements

War of 1812 – Canadian Campaign

British forces were weakest in Canada US used a 3 pronged attack instead of focusing on

Montreal Invaded from Detroit, Niagara, and Lake Champlain Each was beaten back

American Navy performed better Won control of the Great Lakes Oliver Perry built a fleet and defeated the Brits Retreating Brits were then defeated by Harrison at Thames Macdonough led Americans to defeat Brits at Plattsburgh

Redcoats forced to retreat

War of 1812

Napoleon was destroyed and Brits focused on US Troops landed in Chesapeake and advanced on

Washington DC – set fire to White House and Capitol – Aug 1814

Fort McHenry – British fleet hammered fort, but couldn’t capture Baltimore Francis Scott Key writes National Anthem

British aimed at New Orleans – 1814-5 Brits launched a frontal assault on Andrew Jackson Americans were victorious and Jackson became a

national hero

Treaty of Ghent

1812 - Tsar Alexander of Russia proposed mediation Allied with British and wanted them to focus on Fr

Met in Ghent, Belgium in 1814 John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay British made sweeping demands, Americans

rejected them Treaty of Ghent was an armistice/ceasefire

Neither side won

Hartford Convention – late 1814

Secret meeting of Federalists New England considers secession Convention demanded financial assistance

from Washington to compensate for lost trade 2/3 of Congress to approve embargo

The members were disgraced when the news of the victory at New Orleans came

Lasting Effects of the War

Globally unimportant, but had huge consequences for US

Other nations gained respect for US Perry and Macdonough as naval officers

Federalist Party lost all power War heroes emerged – Jackson and Harrison Manufacturing prospered in NE Nationalism – shown in literature

Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper Bank of US was revived

The American System

After the war, the British dumped goods on US at really low costs US factories wanted protection

Tariff of 1816 First tariff for protection, not revenue

The American System

Clay’s American System – 1824 Strong banking system to provide credit Protective tariff for manufacturing to flourish Network of roads and canals

Especially in Ohio Valley Knit the country together economically and

politically

States often had to fund these measures by themselves

The American System -- The American System -- develop a home marketdevelop a home market

Tariff of 1816- protect US business - manufacturing would flourish

Second Bank of the U. S.

Internal improvements at federal expense. - National Road

Henry Clay,Henry Clay,“The Great“The Great

Compromiser”Compromiser”

The American System – The American System –

Madison vetoed the federal funding – states had to venture ahead on their own

WESTWEST got roads, canals, and got roads, canals, and federal aid. federal aid.

EASTEAST got the backing of got the backing of protective tariffs from the protective tariffs from the West. West.

SOUTHSOUTH ?? ??