War of 1812

What makes you proud to be an American?

War at Sea and with Natives• Regular army fewer than 7,000, states had 50,000-

100,000 troops, militia poorly trained, States opposed “Madison’s War”, Commanders from Revolution too old for combat, no leadership from Washington

• Gen. William Hull started war by leading Americans into Canada in 7/1812, met by Tecumseh, retreated to Detroit, 8/1812,surrendered to a smaller Brit force fearing massacre by Indians, Harrison tried to advance on Canada but stopped said could not be taken without taking Lake Erie

• Oliver Hazard Perry, assembled Lake Erie Naval forces, HQ in Put-in-Bay, OH, 9/10/1813, defeated British Navy in fierce battle, Perry said” we have met the enemy and they are ours”

• Brits and Indians tried to leave Detroit, cut off by Harrison, 10/5/1813 Battle of Thames, Tecumseh killed, Americans attacked York(Toronto) burned parliament

• USS Constitution-Old Ironsides destroyed British ships, Stephen Decatur given a new ship, privateers or pirates were used by America because of small navy

British invasion• Nov. 1813 British defeated Napoleon at

Waterloo, Turned attention to America, 8/1814 sailed into Chesapeake Bay, overpowered militia outside Washington DC, Burned DC including Capital and White House, Dolly Madison saved silver and paintings from White Hs. , Madison and Congress escaped

• Brits did not try to hold Washington, sailed north to Baltimore, Baltimore had barricaded roads, blocked harbor and 13,000 militia in trenches, 9/1814 Brit began bombardment of Ft. McHenry in harbor, 9/13-14- 18 hrs of bombardment, Francis Scott Key a lawyer captured by Brits on ship watched and when over wrote Star Spangled Banner, later set to a bar tune became Nat’l Anthem

• Americans stopped Canadian invasion of Pittsburgh by defeating Brits on Lake Champlain

Battle of New Orleans• America and Eng. Signed the Treaty of

Ghent, 12/1814, neutral rights and impressment dead issues

• Before word could reach USA one more battle, 12/1814 Brit troops moved toward New Orleans, defended by Andrew Jackson and Pierre Lafeet, 1/8/1815 Brits marched toward fortification that included bales of cotton,1,000’s of Brit troops killed, Jackson hero, help win President later

• 12/1814 Federalist met in Hartford,CT for Hartford Convention, some favored secession, proposed amendments to Constitution, seemed unpatriotic after Jackson’s win at New Orleans

• Federalist party weakened, Strong nat’l gov’t now carried by War Hawks, Republicans, favored trade, Westward expansion, strong economy, navy and army

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50_iRIcxsz0