The War of 1812

 

A. Background:

            1. Non-Intercourse Act 1809: replaced the Embargo Act and allowed no trade

                        with England or France

            2. Macon’s Bill #2: restored trade with England and France, guarantee of rights

                        by one of them would initiate a prohibition of trade against the other

            3. Napoleon guaranteed rights to Americans, US embargoed England, and

                        soon France stopped respecting our rights anyway

 

B. Immediate Causes:

            1. Continued British seizures of American ships and impressment of sailors (the                            

                        French did not impress sailors)

            2. Leftover American resentment towards Britain from the Revolutionary period

            3. American belief that the British in Canada were inciting hostile Indians

                        against the United States: General Harrison defeated the Indians at the

                        Battle of Tippecanoe 1811 and found British rifles on the battlefield

            4. Western “War Hawks” who wished to annex Canada and Florida, led by

                        Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun

 

C. Major Events

            1. Several American attempts to invade and conquer Canada failed

            2. British counterattacks were thwarted by American victories on Lake Erie

                        (Perry) and Champlain (McDonough)

            3. Initial American victories on the high seas were later overshadowed by British

                        naval superiority

            4. British invaded Chesapeake and burned Washington D.C. in retaliation for

                        the American burning of Toronto (then called York), but were unable to

                        capture Fort McHenry (Star Spangled Banner)

            5. Final defeat of Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend and the

                        squashing of the British invasion at Battle of New Orleans by General

                        Andrew Jackson allowed Americans to believe they had won the war

 

*Not all Americans supported this war: The Federalists called the Hartford Convention to discuss secession and nullification, a faction of the Republican party (the Tertium Quids) also opposed the war

 

D. Results of the War of 1812

            1. Growth of American Nationalism: Winning the 2nd War for Independence

                        Battle of New Orleans and Naval victories

                        Star Spangled Banner

            2. Strengthening of Isolationism:

                        allowed Americans to turn inward to domestic problems and to ignore Europe

            3. Increase in Western Migration:

                        as shipping industry declined many New Englanders went west due to the removal of

                        hostile indian threat

            4. Encouragement of American Industry:

                        forced the US to rely more on domestic industries

                        shift from shipbuilding and foreign commerce to textile manufacture

            5. Disappearance of the Federalist Party:

                        Opposition to “Mr. Madison’s War” made them unpopular, Hartford

                        Convention was viewed as traitorous

            6. America gained respect internationally for surviving two wars with Britain

            7. Canada was accepted as a neighbor and member of of the British Empire

            8. New generation of war heroes become the new generation of political

                        leaders