The War of 1812

1. The War of 1812 The Second War for Independence

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. The American System -- develop 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,“The GreatCompromiser”

19. The American System – • Madison vetoedthe federal funding – states had to venture ahead on their own • WEST got roads, canals, and federal aid. • EAST got the backing of protective tariffs from the West. • SOUTH  ??