Download Notes CH 12 Part 1

NOTES CH 12 PART 1
PP. 233 -243 “PANIC”
INTRO
The War of 1812 ranks as Americas worst fought war…. The supreme lesson of
this conflict is…. the folly of leading a divided and apathetic people into war.
Yet Despite the unimpressive military outcome and even less decisive
negotiated peace…Americans came out of the War with a renewed sense of
Nationalism…
For the next dozen years…an awakened spirit of nationalism would inspire;
tariffs to protect new manufacturing businesses, a debate over using federal
but eventually state government $ to build roads and canals (internal
improvements), and defending the authority of the Federal Government over
the states…
On to Canada over Land and Lakes
On the eve of the War of 1812… the American Army was ill trained, ill
disciplined, and scattered (remember that TJ and Madison did not believe in a
strong large Army during peacetime.) PEACEFUL COERCION  ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS: Embargo Act, 1807-8, Non-Intercourse Act, 1809-10, Macon’s Bill
No.2, 1811-12.
American Strategy initially 1812 and 1813 was to split its forces and invade
Canada in many places… it fails miserably…in hindsight…they should have
concentrated its forces and taken Montreal … it would have cut off the rest from
supply and they would have withered…
The British and Canadians fought well at the outset, led by Gen. Brock…. Taking the
fort that commanded the Upper Gt. Lakes, and all of the Indian inhabited area South
and West…
In 1813, after several invasions of Canada were repulsed… a turning point****
occurs on Lake Erie with Oliver Hazard Perry and the US Great Lakes Navy
dominating the British, establishing control of Lake Erie permanently, and
allowing Gen Harrison to invade Southern Ontario and win the Battle of the
Thames River October 1813…(Tecumseh dies here).
The American Navy …in contrast with the poor performance of the American
Army… performs fantastically throughout the War and was the reason we are
able to claim even a draw… we had better ships and better crews and commanders
than the British… interestingly our Navy was the only branch of the Armed
services that was integrated with Blacks, one in six was a free black… another
example would be the USS Constitution pictured in the text… Thomas McDonough
another Naval commander on Lake Champlain is key at the Battle of
Plattsburgh (later)
The War changes in Europe in mid 1814 when Napoleon is eventually defeated
and Britain could now focus on the USA… sending thousands of fresh troops
coming off victory over Napoleon in the hope that they would crush the Americans…
Britain attempts their three-pronged strategic invasion of the States in 1814:
1st coming down from Canada on Lake Champlain… Here Naval Commander Thomas
McDonough defeats the British and this is a major turning point…saving NY and
possibly NE from secession and made Britain re-think its initial request at the peace
conference at Ghent, Belgium (discussed later)
Washington Burned and New Orleans defended
2nd The British land about 4000 soldiers in Maryland and bring a fleet to Baltimore
to take that harbor… Here the American Army is crushed… The Bladensburg
Races…is so named due to the Americans running away, including the Pres.
james Madison…. The British troops then march to Washington DC and Burn it
to the Ground….[ a side story here is that Dolly Madison the 1st lady had been
cooking hot meals for the soldiers families while they were away…feeding hundreds
and at the time the British came to town …they ate her “hot” dinner… why did she wait
so long….she was going through the town saving precious American Gov’t documents,
and GW’s painting from the British…Dolly is a hero… and James’s best attribute…it is
said she was the 1st modern 1st lady in that becomes james was so shy …she would
lobby congressmen on bills the president supported or opposed… and was heavily
involved in his administrations work…] the British fleet then attempts to take
Baltimore… Francis Scott Key, an American is held captive on one of their ships
and writes the Star Spangled Banner, our National Anthem as he witnesses the
Attack on Ft. McHenry in Baltimore Harbor… thankfully this part fails and
Baltimore is protected.
3rd a British force is sent to take New Orleans, thousands of their finest soldiers
that had just defeated Napoleon are poised in ships off the Coast of Louisiana trying
to find a way through the Bayou’s to NO… while they are searching for the best
approach…. Gen. Andrew Jackson arrives…
Note: on p 251 in our text (252 in the digital edition) there is a map that shows
Gen. Jackson’s circuitous route to New Orleans-- in 1814 1st leads him to fight
the Creek Indians [Red Sticks] in modern day Alabama (Miss. Territory) defeating
them at the battle of Horseshoe Bend…this battle has tremendous significance for
the future south… due to this victory the southwest is opened up for white settlers…and
cotton becomes the key crop….and the demand for slaves goes through the roof
(remember the International slave trade Is outlawed in 1808… so therefore demand
and prices climb) leading to the phrase which was to become common…that slaves
would be “ sold down the river.”
After Horseshoe Bend Jackson goes to NO to defend the City…. upon arrival he
finds the city prepared to surrender… He encourages them to fight and puts together
a Motley Army…. French Pirates, free Men of Color [See Amazing Quote in the
Golden Box in the Text], and riflemen from the Mountains of Tenn., KY and
backwoodsmen from La and across the South… This Army produces what many
military historians believe is the Greatest military victory and plan of the 19th
century with the exception maybe of one or two civil war battles….(this is very
fascinating and worthy of extra credit research)
They build an impassible blockade stories high…. With ditches dug at intervals in
front…. The British foolishly attempt a frontal attack…really no alternative…. But in
½ hour over 2000 British, many of their best soldiers fresh from defeating
Napoleon, are slaughtered… The Americans had 70 killed or wounded… an
astonishingly one-sided victory for the Americans that made Jackson a legend
and future President….
His troops were nicknamed …half horses and half alligators…and that image
was sold on pottery, clothes, etc… a famous symbol of the polyglot backcountry
American 
Ironically, this battle occurs Jan. 8th, 1815…. Almost two weeks AFTER the Treaty
of Ghent is signed which ends the War…again it takes 6 weeks for news to
arrive…and when it does…. Get to DC word of this victory comes as well and blows
DC up…. A huge party of celebration!!!!
Treaty of Ghent (Belgium) 
Almost immediately after the war began…. in 1812…Russia was reeling under
Napoleons advances…and Tsar Alexander did not want Britain distracted with the
USA…so he proposes mediation…. In 1814…. 5 American negotiators, including John
Quincy Adams and Henry Clay, arrive in Ghent, Belgium to negotiate an end to the
war with the British.
At first Britain, believing they had the upper hand, asks for:
1- An Indian Buffer State in the Great Lakes Region,
2- Control of the Great Lakes,
3- A substantial part of captured Maine
Americans Flatly REJECT these terms…and news of American victories at
Plattsburgh, NY and Baltimore Harbor along with the war weariness of the British
causes the Brits to re-thing their demands….
Finally they agree on Christmas Eve, 1814 to an ARMISTACE that ends the
fighting, to restore all conquered territory…it was A DRAW/TIE…
Federalist Grievances and the Hartford Convention****
Late in 1814… a convention was held in Hartford…5 states, from NE, were
represented and 26 esteemed men came together to discuss the New Englanders
grievances with the American Congress/ Government and to seed redress for
their damages…
The Hartford Convention was more moderate than some claim…they wanted:
YOU BETTER KNOW THESE*****
1 Financial assistance from DC to compensate for lost trade
2 Proposed constitutional amendments requiring a 2/3rds vote of congress
before:
a) An embargo would be imposed
b) New states admitted
c) War declared
3 An end to the 3/ths compromise
4 Limit Presidents to a single term
5 Prohibit the election of successive Presidents from the same state (Va.
Dynasty) [by 1814 a Virginian had been President all but 4 years out of 25]
Problem for the New England Federalists….
When the Federalist representatives from the Hartford Convention reach DC
to present their demands…. Uh OH…. GOOD NEWS- comes as well….
1 The War is over…Treaty of Ghent is signed and approved
2 Jackson and his crazy army destroyed the British at New Orleans…
The Federalist Reps are laughed out of DC….in disgrace…(treasonous
behavior)—“Blue Light Federalists,” accused of putting a Blue Light in their
windows as American Naval Ships left harbor---as a signal to British Naval
Ships Blockading the American coasts just outside our major ports.***
This turns out to be one of the main causes of the Death of the Federalist Party,
their last Pres. candidate runs in 1816, and the beginning of the ERA OF
GOOD FEELINGS [A MISNOMER]… [One party rule for almost 20
years until the Whigs…a rarity in American political history]
The legacy of the NE traitorous actions is little remembered due to the South
actually seceding and Millions of dead of the Civil War some 50 years later…
The Second War for Independence
Effects:****VERY IMPORTANT*****
1 6,000 Americans Killed or Wounded (a small war)?
2 The Republic defended its honor and gained respect around the world
3 THE WAR created heroes like; McDonough, Perry, Harrison, and Jackson
4 Ends the War for Independence…. British troops are no longer on our soil
5 Sectionalism is TEMPORARILY discredited***
6 The Federalist Party dies
7 The Indians are forced to sign away much of their lands east of the Miss.
River…and in 1830 …15years later Congress passes the Indian Removal Act
which forces all Native American Tribes living East of the Miss. River to move
West to a New “Indian Territory.” Beginning a push to fulfill our “MANIFEST
DESTINY.”
8 The 1st Industrial Revolution in America and it many manufacturing
businesses are given a permanent Boost…. LAW OF UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES From 1807 – 1815 we have to make our own manufactured
products—no trade—war blockade---Jefferson’s and Madison’s “Peaceful
Coercion”-Economic Sanctions inadvertently causes a huge Industrial
Manufacturing surge in America…with huge ramifications for how we work, eat,
live—The Transportation, Communication, and Market Revolutions begin
Concurrently dramatically altering the way of life in the USA---leading to the
“REFORM REVOLUTION”---WAYS OF DEALING-COPING WITH THE QUICK MASSIVE
CHANGES THAT COME TO THE USA DUE TO THOSE OTHER REVOLUTIONS*******
9 The Southwest [ALABAMA, MISS. LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, MISSOURI,
KENTUCKY, AND TENNESSEE] is opened for settlement leading to the South
becoming the “COTTON KINGDOM,” and which also leads America to BEGIN
DEBATING THE QUESTION: Should Slavery be allowed to move WEST? {Missouri
Compromise of 1820-Rise of Sectionalism}---This is the Question that
leads to the Civil War in 1860!!!!
10 1817 Rush-Bagot Treaty with GB… leads to a ban on all weapons on the Great
Lakes and eventually the worlds largest undefended border [USA-Canada] 5,527
miles long..
11 Now that the British were off their lands and the Indians had been pushed
passed the Miss. River… America began its famous expansion West of the
Mississippi River –MANIFEST DESTINY [Trans-Mississippi West]… where our
Identity is claimed through this pioneer wilderness experience…FJTURNER’S “THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WEST IN AMERICAN HISTORY,”-1893***********
Nascent Nationalism
Most impressive effect of the War of 1812 was the
heightened spirit of nationalism…**********************
We may have fought the War as a divided nation….BUT WE EMERGE AS ONE
NATION….
WITH A MANIFEST DESTINY…
A NAT’L LITERATURE IS CREATED BY AMERICANS ABOUT AMERICA, THE 1ST
TIME: See the internet… Extra Credit opportunities…
The Knickerbockers: James Fennimore Cooper, William Cullen Bryant, and
Washington Irving….begin American Lit…
NOAH Webster writes his famous “reader” for schools and the 1sr American
Language Dictionary
(We will discuss this more in Ch. 15)
“The American System” – The Famous Henry Clay…. We will see A LOT OF
THIS PERSON ******
Immediately after the War… Britain attempts to sabotage our economy by
“dumping” goods… We retaliate with our ******1st Protective Tariff in 1816 with
rates around 20-25% depending on the product…. (well explained in my
Reading Questions)******
Clays “American System”…idea consisted of three things:*******
THIS IDEA COMES DIRECTLY FROM HAMILTON’S 3RD REPORT TO CONGRESS,
REPORT ON MANUFACTURES****considered by many to be his “MAGNUS OPUS.”
1 a Strong National Banking System that could provide access to easy and
abundant Credit
2 a Protective Tariff … to protect AND provide revenue to provide funds for
the third part..
3 Internal Improvements – a network of roads and canals paid for by US Gov’t
revenues from the tariff..
HUGE*****************************************************
***************
With these arteries of Transportation [ROADS, CANALS,
IMPROVED PORTS, EVENTUALLY RAILROADS—“INTERNAL
IMPROVEMENTS] A UNIFIED NATIONAL MARKET WOULD
BE BUILT IN THE USA…. FOODSTUFFS AND RAW
MATERIALS FROM THE SOUTH AND WEST WOULD FLOW
TO THE NORTH AND EAST…. in exchange…A STREAM OF
MANUFACTURED GOODS WOULD FLOW IN THE OPPOSITE
DIRECTION FROM THE NORTH AND EAST TO THE SOUTH
AND WEST…KNITTING THE NATION TOGETHER
ECONOMICALLY, POLITICALLY, AND PHILISOPHCIALLY
WITH THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS FORMING AND BEING
TRANSPORTED AS WELL.
RESPONSE:
The people love the idea…. And a Democratic- Republican Congress passes 1.5
million dollars to be distributed to the states for internal improvements…
*****BUT: CONFLICT WITH THE DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENTS…BEGINS *****
Remember Jefferson and Madison’s concerns that the Federal Gov’t was
becoming too powerful…(maybe powerful enough someday to end
…shhhh…slavery)
*******Madison VETOES this bill…. Says it is UNCONSTITUTIONAL… (I guess since
the War is over… or due to many aspects of the “American System” favoring
the North or Northwest…and not the South who CHOOSE to remain
agricultural with slave labor…. MANY FUTURE PRESIDENTS ALMOST ALL
ELECTED DUE TO THE 3/5THS COMPROMISE… VETO THIS LEGISLATION FOR
MANY YEARS… until a man named Abraham comes to the promised
land…. interestingly, many of the last federalists in NE oppose this expansion
at this point as well… they are concerned as many of their citizens leave to
move west—and as the West gains population and they become States---that
their region will lose influence in creating government policies that will favor
NE---what they do not know is that A MASSIVE IMMIGRATION FROM EUROPE
IS COMING---that will continue their influence beyond the CIVIL WAR AND
AFTER****.(they will soon change their minds due to the vast industrialization
of NE) due to the loss of population to the west and new states immediately
limiting their influence in congress….
******So the States AND PRIVATE COMPANIES--- have to
fund these improvements and do so: for example the
fabulous ERIE CANAL, during the Canal ERA of the 1820’s
and 30’s….that links the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean
…remember DeWitt Clinton Gov of NY, IS called “Father of
the Erie Canal.” This leads directly to the many
revolutions both economic and social we will discuss at
length in chapters 14 and 15 
The So-Called Era of Good Feelings [a MISNOMER]***
Due to the death of the Federalist Party, its last candidate for President is in 1816, a
new era is born…. OF ONE PARTY RULE…JUST DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICANS LEFT…
James Monroe, continuing the Virginia Dynasty is elected twice in 1816 and 1820,
in the latter he receives ALL BUT ONE ELECTORAL VOTE…(one elector does not
vote for him so that GW is the only unanimously elected Pres. in our history  )
Domination…. And supposedly “Good Feelings”, so noted in a Boston Newspaper…
A Revolutionary War veteran, the last TO BE PRESIDENT, Monroe… bridges the
times… an end to this generation of leaders and the beginning of the next… a
group born in America and with a hunger for their MANIFEST DESTINY… America
finally able to cement its IDENTITY****
Not so fast…. The name [era of
“good feelings”] is somewhat of a
MISNOMER (essay alert)
Tranquility and Prosperity does smile on Monroe’s 1st term HOWEVER issues such
as: LEADS TO CONFLICT ---NOT “GOOD FEELINGS”
1 The Tariff
2 The Bank of the USA
3 Internal Improvements (collectively the three above are known as Clay’s
“American System”…the Southern Opposition to these Programs within
20 years creates A NEW Political Party led by Clay and others called the
Whigs ---THEIR MAIN ISSUE IS THAT THEY HATE ANDREW JACKSON 
4 Controversy over the sale of “Public Lands.” [SPECULATORS AND THE 1ST
FINANCIAL PANIC—1819]
5 And Sectionalism (North v. South v. West) CONFLICT over the
expansion of Slavery into the NEW WESTERN
states*****HUGE**** this issue alone causes the CIVIL WAR in
1860 !
You will see these issues each leading to Sectional Conflict
due to the dramatic different development of these regions,
as we know it began in 1607…and the Fruit of these
differences will become ripe with hatred and bigotry…. As
the Era of Good Feelings ends… IF IT EVER REALLY BEGAN--MAYBE SO FOR A WHILE DUE TO THE PATRIOTISMNATIONALISM THAT RESULTS FROM THE END OF THE WAR--AND THE APPEARANCE OF A UNIQUE AMERICAN IDENTITY