Chapter 8, Section 3

1. Chapter 8, Section 3 The Coming of War

2. Violations of Neutrality • Trading overseas was profitable but very risky for American merchants • Ships had to travel vast distances often through violent storms • Risk of capture by pirates from the Barbary States of North Africa in the Mediterranean • USS Constitution • Large United States warship sent to end Barbary Pirate attacks

3. Violations of Neutrality • France and Great Britain go to war in 1803 • Each side wants to stop the United States from supplying the enemy with goods • Each government designed laws to prevent American merchants from trading with the other • British and French navies captured American merchant ships searching for war supplies

4. Violations of Neutrality • Great Britain began searching American ships for British sailors who had run away from the British navy • Sometimes American sailors were captured by mistake and forced to fight in the British navy • Impressment • Attack on the Chesapeake • British ship Leopard stopped the United States ship Chesapeake and tried to remove sailors • The American captain of the Chesapeake refused • British took the sailors by force

5. The Embargo Act • Americans were unsure of how to react to Great Britain’s violation of United States’s neutrality • Some called for war while others favored an embargo • Banning of trade • Embargo Act • Banned all trade with other countries • American ships could not sail to foreign ports • American ports were closed to British ships

6. The Embargo Act • The effect of the law was devastating to American merchants • Northern states hit especially hard • The embargo damaged President Thomas Jefferson’s popularity • Strengthened the Federalist party • Angry merchants petitioned Jefferson to repeal the embargo • The Embargo had very little effect on Great Britain or France

7. Non-Intercourse Act • Banned trade only with Britain, France, and their colonies • Stated that America would resume trading with the first side that stopping violating US Neutrality • No more successful than the embargo act

8. Conflict in the West • Disagreements between Great Britain and the United States went beyond the shenanigans on the high seas • On the western frontier, British and Native Americans clashed with American settlers over land

9. The Conflict Over Land • In the early 1800’s, Native Americans in the old Northwest territory continued to lost their land as thousands of settlers poured into the region • United States gained this land in the Treaty of Greenville, but Native American leaders who did not agree to the treaty protested the settler’s arrival • Frustrated Native American groups considered what to do next • Britain saw an opportunity to slow American westward expansion • British agents supplied Native Americans with arms

10. Tecumseh Resists U.S. Settlers • Tecumseh • Shawnee Chief • Brilliant Speaker • Warned other Native Americans about the dangers of settlers • Promoted unification of Native American peoples to resist settlers

11. The Battle of Tippecanoe • William Henry Harrison • Governor of Indiana Territory • Alarmed with Tecumseh’s activities • Was convinced that Tecumseh had British backing • William Henry Harrison and Tecumseh met face to face in 1810 • Harrison insisted that Tecumseh follow the Treaty of Greenville • Tecumseh argued that the white settlers had no rights to Native American lands • Harrison warned Tecumseh not to resist the power of the United States

12. The Battle of Tippecanoe • Tecumseh journeyed south seeking the support of the Creek nation • During his absence, William Henry Harrison attacked • Battle of Tippecanoe • Native Americans launched an attack on Harrison’s camp on November 7, 1811 • After an all day battle, Harrison’s soldiers forced the Native Americans to retreat and then destroyed Tecumseh’s village • The Native American defeat destroyed Tecumseh’s dream of a great Native American confederation • Tecumseh fled to Canada

13. Tecumseh’s Curse • Legend has it that after his defeat at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, Tecumseh placed a curse on the United States that every president elected in a year ending in “0” would perish in office • This curse came true when William Henry Harrison died in office in 1841 (elected in 1840) of pneumonia (also the nation’s shortest presidency) • From this point forward, every president elected in a year ending in “0”died in office, terminating with Ronald Regan (elected in 1980), who survived an assassination attempt

14. Call For War • Evidence of British support to Native Americans angered Americans • Many felt that Great Britain encouraged Tecumseh’s actions in the west

15. The War Hawks • War Hawks • Young members of Congress who took the lead in calling for war against Britain • Given the nickname by their political opponents • Many from the South and the West • Henry Clay (of Kentucky) • John C. Calhoun (of South Carolina) • Felix Grundy (of Tennessee) • Calls for war increased • Leaders wanted to put a stop to British influence among Native Americans • Wanted to invade Canada and obtain more land for settlement • Others angered by British trade restrictions

16. The Opposition • New England Federalists were the strongest opponents to the war • Business people and merchants there wanted to renew friendly business ties with Great Britain for economic purposes • Others argued that a war against Great Britain would be foolish • United States not yet ready • Small army and navy • Inability to mass produce military supplies

17. Declaring War • James Madison (father of the Bill of Rights) was elected President in 1808 • In 1812, he decided that Congress must vote on the war • War Hawks won in Congress • War was declared against Great Britain (and for the first time ever in the nation) • War of 1812