War of 1812

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War of 1812
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James Madison

• President after Jefferson
• Also Democratic-Republican
• 1809-1817 (two terms)
• Except for Adams, the US had been run by
  Virginians since independence (Washington 2
  terms, Jefferson 2 terms, now Madison 2 terms)
• US and Britain still have tense relations over
  trade
• Britain and France often at war (Napoleon)
• Britain was still requiring all US ships to stop
  in Britain before heading elsewhere in Europe

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Debate to declare war

• Lots of argument
• Congress tried to postpone conflict
• Close vote House voted 79-49 in favor, Senate
  19 to 13
• Britain had repealed the order that all US trade
  ships stop in Britain for inspection
• But news traveled slowly and got to the US after
  Congress declared war

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US versus Britain

• US military under-equipped, inexperienced,
  incompetent
• Lots of disasters and mistakes
• US tries to invade Canada, it fails
• US navy mostly held in check by 80 British ships
  operating out of Halifax, Nova Scotia
• After Britain beats Napoleon in 1814, they turned
  full-force on the US

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US suffers

• Trade cut off British blockaded US ports
• British destroyed American trading ships
• Worst of all Britain invades the United States
• Attacked and burned Washington DC
• Burned White House, Congress, enraged Americans
• Almost resulted in the collapse of US government

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More British attacks

• After Washington DC, Britain attacks Baltimore
• Attacks Fort Henry, which guards Baltimore harbor
• Francis Scott Key witnesses the bombardment and
  is inspire to write Star Spangled Banner which
  becomes national anthem
• British unsuccessful in capturing Baltimore

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War continuesafter peace treaty is signed

• Both sides agree to negotiate peace treaty
• Meet in Ghent, Belgium
• Treaty of Ghent only says that all territory
  captured in war shall be returned to original
  owner
• Britain had already stopped inspecting US ships
  and capturing their crews no longer an issue
• News travels slowly, however

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War continuesafter peace treaty is signed

• General Andrew Jackson hasnt heard the news yet
  and attacks British troops who have taken over
  New Orleans
• Defeats them overwhelmingly first (and only)
  major US victory in the war
• But it happened after the peace treaty was signed
  no one in New Orleans had heard the news

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Aftermath of the war

• US took on Britain and sort of won (well not
  really) even though it looked sketchy at first
• US did not go into debt to do this, did not even
  raise a large army
• The government survived, the constitution wasnt
  challenged
• Overall, Americans feel very good surge of
  patriotism and nationalism
• Era of Good Feeling begins

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Domestic challenges

• New England states felt that their power was
  diminishing
• They were against the war of 1812 all along
• Disrupted trade which they depended on
• Also were still close to England in many ways
• Each time a new state joined the US, New England
  states voting power in congress decreased
• Q Why was this?

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New England states

• They even boycotted sending troops to fight the
  British
• Some wanted to secede from the US
• Q What is secession?
• New England delegates went to Washington DC to
  present their proposal to secede
• News of Jacksons victory in New Orleans had just
  arrived, so no one paid any attention
• War was over, no longer an issue

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Post-war issues foreign policy

• Diplomacy had not really worked well
• Trade issues with Britain and France had been a
  problem for 20 years
• James Monroe (president after Madison) attempted
  to solve the problem of European interference in
  Americas business
• Monroe Doctrine basically said that the
  Americas were the backyard of the United States
  and there was no role for Europe
• British actually supported this, since it was
  also meant to curb Spanish influence
• Spanish colonies were starting to rebel and
  declare independence

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Post-war issues foreign policy

• Relationship with Britain actually got stronger
  after the War of 1812
• Both realized shared economic and political
  interests
• Monroe Doctrine British Navy actually helped
  enforce this
• Cornerstone of a strong relationship that exists
  (and thrives) today between US and Britain

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Post-war issues - new states

• (Ohio in 1803)
• Louisiana 1812 (slave state)
• Indiana 1816 (free)
• Mississippi 1817 (slave)
• Illinois 1818 (free)
• Alabama 1819 (slave)

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Post-war issues new states

• Differences between slave states and free states
• Most southern states still had slavery
• Northern states were free states
• What to do with new states joining the union?
• Missouri Compromise in 1820
• Equal number of slave and free states in Congress
  as long as the number was balanced, trouble
  could be avoided

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Post-war issues new states

• Maine becomes a state in 1820 (free)
• Maine had been a part of Massachusetts
• Missouri becomes a state in 1821 (slave)
• Rest of Louisiana Territory cut in half
  southern part could become slave states, northern
  part had to become free states

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