The War of 1812
The War of 1812 help make the U.S.
Causes of the War of 1812
Britain and France went to war again in 1803
America declared neutrality and wanted to trade with both
Cause #2- Economic Problems: Embargo of 1807
Jefferson proposed an embargo to avoid war
The "Damn-bargo":
- Embargo Act of 1807- American stopped ALL trade with Europe
- Good result- Kept Amrican ships safe and avoided war
- Bad result- Without European trade, the American ecomomy suffered
Cause #3- "War Hawks" Elected
War Hawk wanted war against Britain
In 1810, new "War Hawk" congressmen from the South and West were elected
-Southern Anger- Britain had damaged their trade with Europe
Cause #4- Native American Attack
Americans viotated the Treaty of Greenville and moved into India land
British troops were still in western forts and armed Indians to attack Americans
Battles
• Fighting on the Canadian border:
• British and American navies fought battles on the Great Lakes
• Americans burned the city of York, now Toronto
• Britain tried to invade New York and New England, where Federalists were, but failed
• If Britain succeeded, the North and possibly the entre war would have been lost
• America tried to invade Canada at three locations but failed
• Fighting on the border was a stalemate
Washington, D.C. Attacked
• Fighting around the Chesapeake Bay:
• The British navy moved to the Chesapeake Bay and marched soldiers to Washington, D.C.
• Members of the federal government, including Madison, fled as the British attacked
• The Capitol building and White House were burned
Effect
War of 1812 Afermath
• Economy:
• Factories grew during the war and America depended less on Bri6sh manufacturing
• Politics:
• William Henry Harrison and Andrew Jackson became heroes
• The Federalists looked unpatriotic after the Hartford Convention and “died out”