The Second War for Independence and the Upsurge of Nationalism, 1812-1824

1. The Second War for Independence and the Upsurge of Nationalism, 1812-1824 Chapter 12

2. Warhawks Push for War • June 1, 1812, after Congressional pressure, Madison asks for declaration of war against Britain • Britain repealed orders in council June 23, which would have stopped war, but neither side knew what the other was doing (note: last battle of war will have same odd twist) • War vote along party lines, but many New Englanders opposed it, most remaining federalists were in NE • Real reason for War? • Madison listed Indian problems, ship seizures, British ships in US waters • Madison probably saw long term British aim of elimination of America as trade rival, and war as only solution Henry Clay (Warhawk)

3. Mr. Madison’s War • Neither side really wanted to fight • Happened due to poor communications between the US and Great Britain • Most New Englanders had seen the Royal Navy up close and personal and realized the “nature of the beast” • The War Hawks from west of the Appalachians cared little about naval affairs, and bragged that they could take Canada easily and end the war • The United States had more or less successfully stayed out of the British/French conflicts from Washington’s second administration until 1812 • The combined pressures of the new Western Congressmen and impatience with British naval policy finally tipped the balance in favor of War

4. Great Lakes • US Navy • Weak by Comparison to Brits due to Jefferson • Jefferson had authorized no capital ship construction • British would blockade American ships in harbor, outnumbered hopelessly • Constitution, Congress, Constellation, and President • Objectives • Conquer Canada • Many expected Canadians to support American invasion, wrong!! • Using militia, no real American professional Army to speak of • Spring 1812 to 1814, series of unsuccessful attacks on Canada • Three times (Fort Detroit, Queenston,Heights, Lake Champlain) Americans defeated or refused to attack across border into Canada

5. Shipbuilding • At war’s beginning, neither side had a significant naval force on the Great Lakes, and bringing in ships from the sea was impossible (Niagara Falls) • Both the British and American ships were built on site, which favored the Americans • Could enlist shipbuilders, while Brits shipbuilding industry was 3000 miles away

6. British Offensive • Napoleon defeated, British commit new troops to war in America • Lake Champlain • 10,000 British Troops under Gen Prevost advance south from Montreal intending to cut North in half and isolate New England (convinced many in New England opposed the war (true), would push for peace (not proven) • Prevost felt he had to control Lake Champlain first, failed due to US troop resistance at Plattsburgh and Naval squadron under (US Admiral) Thomas McDonough. • US victory on Lake Champlain caused Prevost to abandon plan return to Canada

7. Washington and Fort McHenry • Brits sail from Bermuda into Chesapeake up to Washington, DC, win huge at Bladensburg, against militia, attack the Capitol • Brit troops eat Madison’s dinner, burned the White House • Brits attack Baltimore later, fail to take Fort McHenry

8. Treaty of Ghent • August - December 1814 - negotiations in Belgium between US and Britain • Final treaty - “Status Quo, Ante-Bellum” December 24, 1814 • War in Europe over issue of neutrality., trade was dead issue • Battle of New Orleans - “Andrew Jackson, superstar” • January 8, 1815 (war over, but no one in US knows it!!) • Veteran British Army under Pakenham sail up Mississippi, attacks New Orleans • American Army of regulars, militia, Jean Lafitte’s pirates shred Pakenham, kill 2000 Brits in an hour lose 13 Americans! • Jackson becomes a household name, will ascend to Presidency, aided by reputation as the hero of New Orleans, most dramatic American victory of the War (albeit fought after war was over)

9. The “Era of Good Feelings” • Name given by historians to James Monroe’s two terms in office • Monroe consciously avoided controversy trying to heal divide caused by Hartford Convention, Federalist/Republican conflicts • Feelings not as good as the phrase sounds, many serious national divisive issues still

10. McCulloch v. Maryland • Was the bank legal (Constitutional)in the first place? • Not specifically mentioned in Constitution • Marshall (again writing unanimous opinion) , using a “Broad” or “Loose” interpretation says “yes” under “necessary and proper” clause • Can Maryland (or any state) tax the Bank (or any Federal agency within its jurisdiction) • no - Federal Government under Constitution is supreme within its sphere, therefore not subject to state regulation • “the power to tax involves the power to destroy”

11. Impact of McCulloch v. Maryland • Many Republicans dismayed (remember John Marshall was a Federalist and would remain Chief Justice for 30 years) • By 1819, Bank was out of favor (again) blamed for tight money policy leading to the Panic of 1819 • Bank had contracted credit, making money scarcer • Marshall’s “McCullough” decision was seen by some as putting the Bank beyond the regulatory power of any state government (and this really irritated those who saw the bank as the private money machine of its investors, and principally responsive to Northeastern investors an d their interests) • Will fuel Andrew Jackson’s hatred of the “Rich Man’s Bank”, as he will suffer serious financial reverses as a result of the panic

12. Missouri Compromise • Three states had been admitted as slave states since Louisiana Purchase, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama • No controversy over slavery’s legality from North • Missouri applies for statehood, 1819 • New York Republican introduces amendment to the proposed Missouri constitution to outlaw slavery in Missouri • By Northwest Ordinance, slavery had been prohibited in new states north of the Ohio, but that has also included territories East of the Mississippi. Missouri was west of the Mississippi and, for almost it’s entire expanse, North of the Ohio River

13. Missouri Compromise (cont.) • Accepted by House rejected by Senate strictly along sectional lines • hot issue • Sectionalism drove the debate • Northern position • admission of another slave state would give slave states a majority of votes in the Senate (at the time there were 11 slave and 11 free states) • would set precedent for more slave states above the Ohio river latitude • Southern position • North conspiring to destroy the Union and end slavery • North pushing South to aggression to save slavery

14. Missouri Compromise (cont.) • Really several proposals lumped together under one name • Admit Maine as a free state (retaining Senate balance) • Bar slavery in any new states lying above Missouri’s southern border (latitude 36º 30') • Admit Missouri as a Slave state • Still more conflict • Missouri draft constitution proposed to prohibited free blacks from entering the state • clashed with Constitutional provision that citizens of any state had same rights in all states • Henry Clay got agreement that provided Missouri would not discriminate against citizens of other states, but left issue of whether free blacks were citizens up in the air

15. Missouri Admitted • Viewed as a Southern victory by many, but: • It did seem to acknowledge the Congressional right to regulate slavery (not in the Constitution) • Did bar slavery from a lot of the new territory of Louisiana ( remember most of the rest of the southern part of the continent was still under Spain’s control as part of Mexico in 1821)

16. Foreign Policy Under MOnroe • Few conflicts and great Secretary of State (John Quincy Adams) • Rush-Bagot treaty (1817) - greatly limited number of ships either US or Britain could maintain on the Great Lakes • British American Convention of 1818 • Restored American fishing rights in the Grand Banks of Newfoundland • Defined the Canadian-American border from Lake of the Woods to the Rockies • Declared “Oregon” (a whole lot more territory than the boundaries of the state today!!) Open to both nations’ citizens • Formalized secure northern border and access to the Pacific (remember, California still Spanish in 1818)

17. Adams-Onis Treaty, 1819 • No one sure 1812-1818 what borders of east and West Florida were • Spain claimed both, but US had incorporated part of West Florida into Louisiana, and considered the rest as part of the Mississippi Territory • 1818, Andrew Jackson invades East Florida (using pretext that Indians were being allowed to raid from there and protected by Spain, and that it was also a fugitive slave haven) (both somewhat true!) • Hanged two British subjects captured forts, hanged Osceola’s brother (also called the Prophet of the Seminoles) • Grossly exceeded his authority, but Monroe and Adams refuse to court martial him as some suggested, seeing greater opportunity • Adams negotiates treaty with Spain - terms • East Florida ceded to US • Spain renounces claims to West Florida • agreed to border with Spain (left US free to adventure in Oregon, while agreeing that Texas was not part of Louisiana Purchase)

18. Monroe Doctrine • John Quincy Adams - expansionist, believed in Manifest Destiny before the term was invented • Knew Spain was concerned about US intentions regarding he rest of North American continent west to Pacific • Knew Spain was discussing with Russian Tsar using the Holy Alliance (European, Russian dominated, alliance dedicated to supporting Christian Monarchies throughout the world from revolution) to crush ant-Spanish revolutionary spirit in South America. • Agreed with proposal by British Prime Minister Canning, that US and Brits jointly propose to any European interference in South America

19. Monroe Doctrine (cont.) • Adams favored American unilateral proposal as stronger statement • Wanted to seem independent from British influence • Brits had made a promise not to annex any current Spanish territory part of the agreement, but that would limit US intentions toward Texas and other Spanish holdings, a concession Adams was unwilling to make • Formally promulgated as part of State of the Union address by Monroe to Congress December 2, 1823 • Written largely by Adams, whose foreign policy it reflects. It stipulates: • US would abstain from any European wars unless American interests were involved • The “American Continents” are not subjects for future colonization by any European power • The US would consider any such attempt as an “unfriendly act”

20. Impact of the Monroe Doctrine • Then • Europeans scoffed at it as an empty statement • Holy Alliance, afraid of Brit Navy, not the US, stayed out of Spanish Western hemisphere affairs • It was a claim by the US to western hemisphere supremacy • Now • Has been the cornerstone of US foreign and hemispheric policy ever since, added to by Theodore Roosevelt and referred to by practically every President since as if it were the 11th commandment