WAR OF1812 - 1814

• 2 CAUSES– NAPOLEANIC

WARS– INDIAN

WARS

INDIAN WARS

– “‘Our red brethren’ will soon be taught to wish they had remembered the talks of their ‘father Jefferson,’ and of all other persons who advised them to peace.”-NILES WEEKLY REGISTER 30 MAY 1812

• POST-REVOLUTION U.S. IS LOOKING WEST FOR LAND (PREVIOUSLY HELD BACK BY PROCLAMATION OF 1763 AND QUEBEC ACT OF 1774)

• IN 1811 TECUMSEH GATHERS 5000 FIRST NATIONS IN ALABAMA TO PROMOTE RESISTENCE

• AMERICANS SUSPECT NATIVES ARE SUPPORTED BY THE BRITISH

• SOME NATIVES FLEE TO CANADA AFTER DEFEAT IN U.S.

TECUMSEH

• MOST FIRST NATIONS HAD FOUGHT FOR BRITISH BUT TREATY OF PARIS LEAVES THEM NO LAND

• INDIANS WHO FOUGHT FOR AMERICANS WERE ALSO ABANDONED

NAPOLEONIC WARS

• HOW WOULD THIS CONFLICT TRANSLATE INTO A WAR IN NORTH AMERICA?

• BRITISH BLOCKADE ATLANTIC COAST OF EUROPE – SEARCH U.S. VESSELS LOOKING

FOR DESERTERS, NOT TOO CAREFULL ABOUT IDENTITIES (PRESS GANGS)

– PREVENT U.S. VESSELS FROM TRADING WITH CONTINENTAL EUROPE

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

• BRITAIN & FRANCE AT WAR ON & OFF SINCE 1793 (LIKE THE 7 YEARS WAR THIS CONFLICT COMES TO NORTH AMERICA)

OPINION ON WAR SPLIT IN UNITED STATES

• WAR HAWKS PRESS FOR WAR AND PASS DECLARATION OF WAR IN CONGRESS• “The conquest of Canada will be of the

highest importance to us in distressingour enemy - in cutting off his supplies of provisions and naval stores for his West India colonies and home demand.”-NILES WEEKLY REGISTER 30 MAY 1812

• NORTHEASTERN STATES WISH TO CONTINUE TRADING WITH ATLANTIC COLONIES, THREATEN TO BREAK OFF FROM UNITED STATES• “The desire to annex Canada to the United States is

as base an ambition as ever burned in the bosom of Alexander.”-NEW YORK EVENING POST 21 APRIL 1812

PRESIDENTJAMES MADISON

CONSEQUENCES OF WAR OF 1812

• BRITAIN REALIZES ITCANNOT DEFEND CANADAFROM ATTACK BY U.S.• THIS BECOMES BACKGROUND

UNDERSTANDING FOR EVERYDECISION ABOUT CANADA

• MILITIA MYTH FORMSPART OF CONSCIOUSNESS

• IN UPPER & LOWER CANADA• UPPER CANADIANS FOUGHT AS

BRITISH SUBJECTS• LOWER CANADIENS FOUGHT FOR HOME AND COMMUNITY

• DESPITE FIGHTING FOR BRITISH, FIRST NATIONS WIN NO CONCESSIONS IN U.S. TERRITORY FROM PEACE TREATY

DEATH OF TECUMSEH AT BATTLE OF MORAVIANTOWN