War of 1812

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLa0mUWAiVk War of 1812

2. War • The war was fought in three theatres • The Atlantic Ocean • The Great Lakes and Canadian Frontier • The Southern States

3. The Atlantic Theatre • British Navy was largest in the world • Britain had roughly 85 vessels in American waters while others were blocking French Navy • US vessels very technologically advanced, however, the Royal Navy had 4x more than US • Eventually Royal Navy ‘upgraded’ their ships to compete with the US

4. British using their vessels to protect shipping to and from Halifax and to enforce a blockade on American ports • American trade fell while Royal Navy captured trade goods and sold them • Any slaves on American ships were offered freedom if they fought for the Royal Navy

5. Chesapeake Bay Blockade • Close to American capital • American, Joshua Barney, conviced Naval department to defend the Chesapeake port • Successfully harassed the Royal Navy, however, unable to defend the nation’s capital • British marched to Washington and burned the Presidential mansion and public buildings • British carried on to Baltimore’s port

7. Reconstruction of White House

8. Battle of Baltimore ; British met by American Militia. British eventually withdrew • British soldiers tried again by sea to attack Baltimore harbour (Fort McHenry) • Not a battle? • British called off attack and left • Fort’s defence inspired Francis Scott Key to write “Star Spangled Banner”

9. Great Lakes and Western Territories • American leaders assumed that Canada could be easily overrun. • "a mere matter of marching" (Jefferson) • Lower Canada; support for Britain came from the English elite with strong loyalty to the Empire, and from French elite, who feared American conquest would destroy the old order by introducing Protestantism and weakening the Catholic Church.

10. US began operations in the western frontier because of the general popularity there of a war with the British, who had sold arms to the American natives opposing the settlers • William Hull invaded Canada on July 12. He issued a proclamation ordering all British subjects to surrender, or “the horrors and calamities of war will stalk before you.”

11. Brock’s Proclamation • General Isaac Brock decided to oppose Hull's forces • On July 22 General Brock issued a counter-proclamation. • Argument 1: Brock reminded Canadians about the prosperity and security they enjoyed under British rule • Argument 2: U.S. victory would lead to the eventual re-annexation of Canada by France, which at the time was ruled by Napoleon, that "despot who rules the nations of continental Europe with a rod of iron”. • Argument 3: With regard to Hull's threat of taking no prisoners among Indians and whites found fighting together, Brock declared: "But they are men, and have equal rights with all other men to defend themselves and their property when invaded." • On July 17, without a fight, Mackinac Island fort surrendered to a group of soldiers, fur traders, and native warriors ordered by Brock

12. Detroit’s Bluff • Brock advanced on Fort Detroit with 1,200 men. Brock sent a fake correspondence and allowed the letter to be captured by the Americans, saying they required only 5,000 Native warriors to capture Detroit. Hull feared the natives and their threats of torture and scalping. • Hull surrendered right away in fear • Hull ordered the evacuation of the inhabitants of Fort Dearborn. After initially being granted safe passage, the inhabitants were attacked by Potowatomis on August 15 (Battle of Fort Dearborn)

13. Brock promptly transferred himself to the eastern end of Lake Erie, where American General Renseelear was attempting a second invasion. • An armistice prevented Brock from invading American territory. When the armistice ended, the Americans attempted an attack across the Niagara River on October 13, but suffered a crushing defeat at Queenstown Heights • Brock was killed during the battle.

14. Death of Sir Isaac Brock

15. Because of the difficulties of land communications, control of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River corridor was crucial. When the war began, the British already had a small squadron of warships on Lake Ontario and had the initial advantage. • Americans established a Navy yard at New York. Americans attacked York, the capital of Upper Canada, on April 27, 1813. The Battle of York was an American victory, marred by looting and the burning of the Parliament buildings and a library. • On May 27, 1813, Americans assaulted Fort George on the Niagara River and captured it without serious losses. The retreating British forces were not pursued.

16. On June 24, with the help of advance warning by Laura Secord, another American force was forced to surrender by a much smaller British and native force at the Battle of Beaver Dams, marking the end of the American offensive into Upper Canada. • http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=10118 • Late in 1813, the Americans abandoned the Canadian territory they occupied around Fort George. They set fire to the village of Newark, 1813, incensing the British and Canadians. Many of the inhabitants were left without shelter, freezing to death in the snow. This led to British retaliation following the capture of Fort Niagara on December 18, 1813.

17. Western Frontier • 65 forts were built in the Illinois Territory to protect against natives allied to the British • In September 1813, Fort Madison was abandoned after it was attacked and besieged by natives, who had support from the British. This was one of the few battles fought west of the Mississippi. • At the conclusion of peace, Mackinac and other captured territory was returned to the United States. Fighting between Americans, the Sauk, and other indigenous tribes continued through 1817, well after the war ended in the east.

18. War Ends! • Treaty of Ghent