The War of 1812

The Condition of the US for War

• American military ill-prepared– Only 7,000 men in the regular forces

• Commanding senior officers were old, incompetent or lacked experience.

• Congress reluctant to spend necessary funds on equipment and supplies.

• Volunteer soldiers were badly fed and clothed.

• People in the New England states openly disapproved of the war

The Naval Fight

• Lacked a strong navy, relied on privateers

• The USS Constitution won a few notable duels with British warships– Old ironside

• Britain still able to blockade the US coast

US Invasion of Canada

• Although US thought taking over Canada would be easy, proved disastrous in first year– Lost Detroit– Lost Battle on Lake

Champlain– Lost Battles at Canadian

Border

• A year later began to improve– Commander Perry defeated

British fleet on Lake Erie– US soldiers retook Detroit– Tecumseh was killed at

Battle of Thames = death of Native Confederacy

British Raids• British force refreshed from Europe in

1814 after Napoleon’s downfall

• Began campaign up Chesapeake Bay burning and raiding town to town on Atlantic Coast

• Easily defeated unorganized American troops outside DC

• August 24, 1814 burned the Capitol, White House, and other public buildings– Fires wiped out by huge storm, hurt

British too– Dolly Madison

Battle of Baltimore

• British continued their advance to Baltimore

• Unable to crack US defenses,– US sunk ships in harbor,

Britain couldn’t advance

• So Britain abandoned operation

Who do you think had the edge in the war? Do you think you could determine a winner of the war from what we have

seen so far with Canada? DC? Naval Battles?

Baltimore?

Negotiating a Treaty

• Began in August 1814 in Ghent, Belgium

• British hoped for some gains, but ultimately had no advantage over US– No control over Great Lakes– Raid on Washington had no significance– US won important naval battles

Treaty of Ghent

• Signed Dec. 24, 1814

• Restored the Status Quo Ante Bellum (state of things before the war)

• Agreed to determine US/Canadian border at a future date

• No addressing of Impressment, although not really an issue with Napoleon gone

Battle of New Orleans• News of Treaty had not yet

reached America

• British troops under Gen. Pakenham attacked New Orleans Jan. 8, 1815

• ~4,000 US troops to ~8,000 British

• American troops led by Andrew Jackson inflict 2,000 casualties (including killing Pakenham)

• US lost 13.

Hartford Convention

• N.E. Federalists fed up with Reps.– Disliked Louisiana Purchase– Disliked War preparations– GB blockade crippled their

economy– Disliked 3/5s compromise

• Met at Hartford Dec-Jan. to discuss cessation, passed a series of grievances1. No trade embargo over 60 days2. Require 2/3 Congressional majority

for declaration of offensive war, admission of a new state, or interdiction of foreign commerce

3. Remove 3/5 slave representation advantage of South

4. Limit future Presidents to 1 term5. Require each President to be from

a different state than his predecessor. (Aimed directly at Virginia Dynasty.)

The Hartford Convention, or 'Leap no leap', February 1815, by William Charles.

Results of War

• News of treaty/success in New Orleans took any chance of Federalists regaining national popularity

• Monroe, Madison's successor won election of 1816, Federalist party was finished

• US gained more respect in foreign affairs, secured independence