Download Unit 3- War of 1812

Napoleonic Wars And 1812
Napoleonic wars are tied directly to War of
1812
French Revolution led to Napoleon
Napoleon eager to conquer Europe agrees to
sell Louisiana territory to the Americans (15 M)
Napoleon starts war with Britain and the
Americans see opportunity to capture Canada
Plus, they were just plain annoyed with Britain
(again)
What are causes of War of 1812?
Free Trade
Britain had placed France under a naval blockade,
preventing trade with neutral nations-Embargo Act 1807
Embargo is a government ban on trade with other countries
• Very unpopular in Northern port cities
Hurt the U.S. greatly by this development
Using blockade as excuse, Britain captured 400 US vessels.
What are the causes of War Of 1812?
Impressment and Kidnapping
U.S. accused Britain of kidnapping citizens
• British Navy asserted right to board foreign ships and press
any British citizens (deserters or traders) they found into
service.
 rejoin the British Navy to fight against Napoleon
• Big issue was Chesapeake incident where British fired on
vessel killing Americans and “mistakenly” taking four so
called deserters (2 were pure American)
What are the causes of War Of 1812?
Block of the West
Americans determined to take western territory
from Aboriginals
Brits were creating an Aboriginal buffer zone between
Canada and U.S
Britain would not give up Western forts
Also thought British/ French Canadians assisting
Tecumseh (suspicious of alliances) who were fighting
to keep lands from Americans
What are causes of War of 1812?
War Hawks
Southern congressmen who wanted war with
Canada to acquire land
Declaration of War
June of 1812 Madison
asked Congress for
declaration of war
War started with
Invasion of Canada
Key Battles
ISSAC BROCK BATTLES!
US Burns York (now Toronto)
US figured the Canadians would welcome the
Americans and quickly join the US to expel Britain
from North America…this did not happen
Perry Defeated the British on Lake Erie
This gave the US control of Lake Erie
Britain Blockades the Eastern Seaboard
This prevented shipping from leaving, and made the
war more unpopular in the Northeast
The Roof is on Fire…
In August 1814,
British Forces Sailed
into Chesapeake Bay
and capture
Washington D.C.
They burn the White
House and the
Capitol
Madison and
Congress barely
escape
Oh Say Can You See…
Unlike D.C., Baltimore was
Ready for the British
The City militia inflicted
heavy casualties on the
British
After bombarding Fort
McHenry on September 13,
1814, the British abandon the
attack
Francis Scott Key witnessed
the bombardment and penned
a poem which becomes the
National Anthem.
Treaty of Ghent
Treaty was Negotiated in
Europe and was signed on
Dec. 24, 1814 ending the
war of 1812
The War ended in a
stalemate, where no party
gained or lost any
territory.
The issue of impressment
was not addressed, but
faded on its own.
Battle of New Orleans
Fought after the treaty was
signed (but not ratified)
Why was New Orleans
important?
Pirates and Frontiersman
fought alongside US
troops
Made Andrew Jackson a
National hero and
household name
Ensured treaty ratification
Who won the War of 1812
Gave the United States a National Identity
Able to hold our own against the British
Started US thinking about continuing westward
expansion
Ended bad feelings toward the British
U.S. discovered they could attack but not
hold Canada