Download Choices faced by Americans during the War of 1812

Roots of a Nation: A Chesapeake Journey
A Teaching American History Initiative
Choices faced by Americans during the War of 1812
Lesson submitted by Phil Logan, Calvert County
Topic: Exploring the decision making process Americans used during the War of 1812 when
faced with the dilemma: Will I aid the British in their invasion of the U. S.?
Grade Level: 8
Duration: Four 45 minute periods
Focus Question: Under what circumstances, if any, would treason be justified?
Lesson Objective: The student will be able to use a decision making guide to make decisions.
MSC Alignment:
Standard 1.0 Political Science
Topic B. Individual and Group Participation in the Political System
Indicator 1. Analyze the influence of individuals and groups on shaping public policy
Objective a. Analyze the influence of the media on political life
Indicator 2. Defend the importance of civic participation as a citizen of the United States
Objective a. Evaluate ways people can participate in the political process including
voting, analyzing the media, petitioning elected officials, and volunteering
Standard 2.0 Peoples of the Nation and World
Topic C. Conflict and Compromise
Indicator 1. Analyze factors that affected relationships in the United States prior to 1877
Objective ___: Examine examples of conflict and compromise among different ethnic,
religious, and gender groups
Standard 4.0 Economics
Topic A. Scarcity and Economic Decision-making
Indicator 1. Analyze the decisions that people made because resources were limited
relative to economic wants for goods and services in America
Objective a. Describe the opportunity cost of economic decisions by individuals,
businesses, and governments in the U.S. through 1877, such as the decision about
territorial acquisition
Standard 5.0 History
Indicator 4. Analyze the institution of slavery and its influence on societies in the United
States
Objective ___: Analyze the experiences of African-American slaves, and free blacks
Standard 6.0 Social Studies Skills and Processes
Topic A. Read to Learn and Construct Meaning about Social Studies
Indicator 4. Use strategies to demonstrate understanding of the text (after reading)
Objective i. Draw conclusions and make generalizations based on the text, multiple
texts, and/or prior knowledge
Topic C. Ask Social Studies Questions
Indicator 2. Identify a situation/issue that requires further study
Objective c. Pose questions about the situation/issue from a variety of perspectives
Objective d. Pose questions that elicit higher order thinking responses
Objective e. Formulate research questions
Objective f. Develop a plan for how to answer questions about the situation/issue that
requires further study
Vocabulary: scarcity, opportunity cost, patriotism, nationalism, sectionalism, political parties
Materials: decision making matrix, descriptions/materials related to various 19th century groups
(primary and secondary),
Instructional Procedures:
1. Introduce vocabulary
2. Explain the causes of the War of 1812 (stealing ships, sailors (impressment), manifest
destiny).
3. Discuss the ideas of motives and the kind of things that motivate people (economic gain,
social prestige, vengeance, political ambition, desire for advancement, etc.)
4. Divide the students into six groups and explain that each group will be assigned an
individual or group.
a. Materials will be supplied to study each individual/group.
b. Use the attached chart to describe background information of each group (education,
social status, occupations, living conditions, etc.)
c. How might this person/these persons feel about their social, political, and economic
situation.
d. Would this make them more or less loyal to the American government?
5. Using the decision making matrix, each group of students will need to come to a
conclusion about how they will respond to the British when they invade their area.
Groups do not have to have a unanimous opinion. Majority/minority reports are
acceptable, if not encouraged.
Assessment Activity: Groups will create an exhibit to present their findings to the rest of their
class. Students will examine the exhibits utilizing a graphic organizer and collect basic
information (who the groups are, factors they would have to consider in making their decisions,
the decisions they made, etc.)
Extension Activity: Each student will write a free response essay in response to the question: Is
treason ever justified? using information from their own research and information from at least
one other group.

A description of the groups who made decisions regarding their relationship to the British
during the War of 1812.

At Benedict, we heard about a leper (name?) who volunteered to help the British the
minute they landed at Benedict. He was not coerced. As a leper, he was an outcast in
Benedict. He had no real love for the American people he lived with. He helped guide
the British on their way to Washington D.C.

Slaves helped the British after promises of freedom. Slaves had information that was
crucial to the British. Many slaves worked the waterways of the Patuxent River and could
guide British ships up river. Slaves were nicknamed the navigators of the night (I’ll need
to check the exact phrase) and knew the lay of the land and the rivers intimately. If, for
example, slave visited family or friends on another plantation, that visit would have to be
made at night. Slaves knew their way around Southern Maryland. Slaves also knew
where valuable crops and livestock could be found—they were the ones who tended
these things.

Related to the slaves was a group in the British army known as the Colonial Corp. These
were people of African descent who were allowed to enlist in the British army. We didn’t
get many details of this group other than just their existence. Former slaves? Engaged in
battle?

Local newspapers printed details of American troop movements. Locals passed along
these newspaper accounts to the British. I’m unclear if the newspaper editors were
aware that this information was being used in this way and if they were doing it
intentionally. “Lose lips sink ships.”

Many of the wealthy landowners aided the British. Some gave aid because they sided
with the British—the Eastern Shore was the home of loyalists during the Revolutionary
War, and many people there still supported the British. Some gave aid to save their
property, if not their lives. We heard about the Canter family in Charles Co. who sold a
horse to the British for £20 rather than have the horse stolen and the rest of their
property burned. This family was now under suspicion, but what choice did they really
have. It was a no win situation for them.

We also heard about the Picaroons. These were basically opportunists who saw in the
conflict a chance to take what they wanted. Many of these people were from the lower
classes who saw the war as an opportunity for a measure of revenge against the upper
classes. Some of these were from the Eastern Shore who still felt a loyalty to Britain.
SKILLFUL DECISION MAKING
OPTIONS
OPTION CONSIDERED
CONSEQUENCES
SUPPORT
VALUE
What will happen if
you take this option?
Why do you think each
consequence will occur?
How important is the
consequence? Why?
CHOOSING
OPTIONS
What to do?
YOUR OPTION
________________
RESULTS
What will happen?
Pro
Con
CHOICE
Is this a good thing to do?
Why?
DECISION-MAKING MODEL
Problem
Goal(s)
Alternatives
Pros (+) & Cons (-)
(+)
(-)
(+)
(-)
(+)
(-)
(+)
(-)
Decision(s)
Reason(s)