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AN02g Unit02: A New Nation Ch.

06
FQ: The War of 1812- A Star-Spangled Conflict?
Do Now: TBA
I. Foreign Affairs & Political Tempers Heat Up
A. 1806: Napoleon Bonaparte's European Empire
-French Exclude British Goods from the European continent.
-British Fears=> Blockade of Europe
B. What is U.S. to do?
-Jefferson reelected (1804) due to popularity (Louisiana Purchase, etc)
-Stay Neutral? (But, treaties exist with each belligerent.)
-Any attempt to trade resulted in seizure of US vessels and cargo by French & British.
-Embargo against Europe to publicize Neutrality? (But, belligerents are major trade
partners.)
-1807: Embargo Act. Hurt U.S. more than British.
-1809: Repeal of Embargo Act, except for France/ Britain.
-Anger with Britain heightened due to Impressment & 1807 Chesapeake Incident.
II. Homefront Ready to go up in Flames
A. 15 States in US by 1808. (See map) James Madison elected President.
B. William H. Harrison (Gov. Indiana Territory) meets Nat. American resistance to purchase more
lands. Growing Nativist movement among tribal leaders.
C. Tecumseh fails to build a confederacy of native peoples to challenge Americans. Pleads to
British for aid. British Canada becomes a gateway supplying arms to Tecumseh.
D. Shawnee Attacks results in Harrison's destruction of main Shawnee village at Battle of
Tippecanoe River.
E. War Hawks: Young Congressmen from Southern and Western States want war declared. (John
Calhoun- SC, Henry Clay- Ky)
F. War Declared 1812
III. Our First War and it was no picnic.
A. US poorly prepared for war. No Navy to speak of. Jefferson had cut spending on Navy Dept.
B. Canada: American invasion failed, temporarily lost Detroit.
C. Native Americans: Largely supported the British Effort.
D. British Blockade US East Coast. Most of U.S. 16 ships trapped in the ports.
E. 1814: British burn Washington, DC. Pres. James Madison flees.
F. South & West Theatre of War: Andrew Jackson targets Native American allies of British with
success. In 1815, Battle of New Orleans. Victory after the war officially ended.
G. 1814 Treaty of Ghent was an armistice. Major issues remained unresolved for years: military
presence in Great Lakes, Northern boundary of Louisiana territory, impressment of sailors, etc.
Resources:
The war of 1812 is really the coming out party for the United States Navy. When the war began, the US Navy could hardly call
itself a Navy. The cost-cutting of the Jefferson Administration would play a part in this. The nation licked its wounds and began to
address this shortfall during and after the war. If you have an interest in US Naval History, you may wish to visit <http://
www.history.navy.mil>.
For those who recognized my FQs play on words, the Star Spangled Banner is a product of this wartime period. Francis Scott Key,
a slaveholder, would pen the words destined to become our national anthem. Take a moment to visit <http://amhistory.si.edu/
starspangledbanner/>.

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