The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and Great Britain from 1812-1815. Tensions arose due to British interference with American shipping and impressment of American sailors. While the United States failed to conquer Canada as planned, American forces had some naval victories. The British burned Washington D.C. in 1814 but were repulsed from Baltimore after witnessing the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry, inspiring the national anthem. The war ended in 1815 with the Treaty of Ghent and a new sense of national identity and unity in America.

1. National Identity:
The War of 1812

2. Treaty of Greenville (1795)
In1795, the Treaty of Greenville forced the Indians to sell much of their land in
the Northwest Territory and open for settlement by white settlers. The territory
had formerly only been inhabited by Indians.
However several Indian leaders claimed that the men who approved the selling
of the land did not have the right to do so.
“Do you think we can
trust their promises
this time?”

3. Tecumseh and the Prophet
Among those angered by white encroachment on their land were two
Shawnee leaders. One was named Tecumseh and the other was his brother
called the Prophet.
Tecumseh convinced many Native American tribes to join together in a
confederation against the white settlers.
Tecumseh’s brother, the Prophet, gave
spiritual guidance to Native Americans.
Shawnee warrior
Tecumseh united tribes
across the continent to
block settlers' westward
expansion.

4. Tippecanoe Creek (November 7, 1811)
Native warriors ambushed the American forces commanded by Governor
Harrison. The American force held its ground and pursued the Indians back to
their village at Tippecanoe where Harrison's men plundered and burned it to
the ground. Both the warriors and the Americans suffered about two hundred
dead or wounded. Harrison won instant national fame.
William Henry Harrison’s
victory over Tecumseh at
Tippecanoe will catapult
him to the White House
Many Native Americans were so outraged by the battle that they joined forces with the British military to fight
against their common enemy, the Americans.

5. Relationship Between the United States and England Sour
British refused to leave forts in the Northwest Territory settlements in the
Northwest Territory. (Ohio, Indiana, Michigan) and began to arm the Indians
and encouraged them to attack American settlers
British seized Americans on the High Seas and forced them to serve in the
British navy.
British seized Americans on the High Seas and forced them to
serve in the British navy.

6. An Uneasy Alliance: Indians and the British
The American expansion policy threatened not only the Native American way
of life, but the British fur trade and Canadian territory as well.
In 1807 the British actively sought Native American alliances when they
realized tensions between the United States and Britain could escalate into
military conflict. The British realized the necessity of having Native Americans
as allies to protect the Canadian border.
The British encouraged Indians to attack American settlements by giving them
presents of food, clothing, guns, and ammunition.
Tecumseh joined the British after
they pledged to rid the Ohio
Valley of the Settlers.

7. Native American Trouble Along the Frontier
Native Americans were upset that American settlers continued to move onto
their lands and began to attack the settlers.
Indians played an important role in several battles including the capture of American Forts Mackinac and Detroit.

8. Conditions in the British navy were terrible and the discipline on the English
ships was tough. Many British sailors deserted and went to work on U.S.
ships.
Typical Naval Punishment Aboard a British Ship
For running into debt while on shore leave 12 strokes of the whip
For tearing a sailors frock (coat) 09 strokes of the whip
For filthiness 12 strokes of the whip
For drunkenness or breaking into the 12 strokes of the whip
liquor closet
For making too much noise in quarters 06 strokes of the whip
For dirty or unwashed clothes 12 strokes of the whip
Being out of hammock (bed) after hours. 12 strokes of the whip
For stealing bread from the oven. 09 strokes of the whip
For taking clothes on shore to sell. 12 strokes of the whip
Naval Punishment Video

9. Seaman James Durand, 1805
“I have seen a man hauled up and made to receive eighteen lashes for a crime no more serious
than spitting on the quarter deck. Such outrages on human nature ought not to be permitted by
a government which boasts of liberty. No monarch in the world is more absolute than the Captain
of a Man-of-war.
The situation of a sailor, exposed as he is to the vicissitudes of life, to the inclemency’s of the
seasons, to the fury of storms and tempests, is sufficiently arduous without its being rendered more
so by the cruelties of his fellow beings.
Quote about Discipline and Flogging

10. Because the British Royal Navy was engaged in a life and death struggle with
France in the early 1800s, it became necessary to recapture deserters from
other ships to keep the Royal Navy strong. British naval officers often
boarded American ships and demanded to see papers stating citizenship. If
the papers looked forged or the British officers suspected the people on
board were really British citizens, not American, then they took those men
and forced them to return to British naval ships.
Impressment
War of 1812 Impressment Video
Thousands of British seamen chose to jump ship in favor of joining the American trading ships. It is estimated that of
the 6,000 sailors impressed into British naval service about 1,300 were actually American, not British deserters.

11. Chesapeake / Leopard Affair
The H.M.S. Leopard (British vessel) needed sailors and claimed that the U.S.
merchant vessel, U.S.S. Chesapeake, had 4 British deserters aboard it.
The H.M.S. Leopard ordered the unarmed Chesapeake to stop and release
sailors. When the Chesapeake refused to stop, the Leopard opened fire and
killed/wounded 20 U.S. sailors.
The British boarded the ship and took four men prisoner whom they claimed
were deserters. The incident caused many Americans to demand that war be
declared against England.
The British Royal Navy continued boarding American ships. Many Americans considered these actions an insult to
the United States and demanded a declaration of war.

12. War Hawks
Henry Clay
Members of the House of Representatives from the Southern and the western
United States that demanded that Congress declare war on Britain. Ultimately,
the War Hawks were able to convince the majority of congressmen to vote in
favor of war. Not everyone in the United States supported the ideas of the War
Hawks. Many from the Northeastern region of the United States were opposed
to war with Britain.
John C. Calhoun
The War Hawks were confident that Britain
would yield to U.S. demands if it saw that
America was seriously considering military
action. After all, Britain was already deeply
involved in war with Napoleon in Europe.
How could they possibly fight against the
United States too?
The War Hawks were united by outrage
regarding the British practice of
impressments of American sailors. They
were convinced that a declaration of war was
the only honorable response to these
repeated violations.

13. War is Declared
President Madison didn't want war, but Congress insisted. The United States
declared war on England June 18, 1812.
The South and the West voted for war, and the Northeast did not.
The United States was not prepared for war with Great Britain. The American
army and navy were too small. The government lacked money to finance its
military. Could America stand up to the power British Empire, again?
The British agreed to end its impressments of U.S. sailors
two days before the declaration of war, unfortunately,
because of delays in communication, the United States didn't
know this. Military Strength Video
James Madison, 5 feet, 4 inches tall,
was the shortest president of the
United States. Abraham Lincoln was
the tallest at 6 feet, 4 inches.
President Madison

14. War of 1812
War fought between the US and Great Britain in the early 1800s. The United
States Congress declared war on England on June 18, 1812.

16. United States Invades Canada
Many Americans believed that going to war with Britain would help the
United States gain Canada and end Native American attacks.
The prevailing thought was that the French Canadians would join the
American army once troops crossed the border and the capture of Canada
would be a simple and swift.
Unfortunately, the French Canadians did not join the fight and the American
army stood alone and was soundly defeated.
Canadian Campaign Video The plan to invade from three directions failed.

17. “We have met the enemy and
they are ours.“
Oliver Hazard Perry
Battle of Lake Erie
Battle of Lake Erie and Oliver Hazard Perry
(Sept. 10, 1813)
The United States had more success on the sea. Under the command of
Commodore Oliver Perry, the U.S. fleet attacked the British fleet on Lake
Erie near Put-in-Bay (Ohio) in September 1813. After a four-hour battle, the
British surrendered. This victory gave the United States control of Lake Erie
and forced the British to evacuate Detroit and retreat back to Canada. But by
the end of 1813, the United States had still not conquered Canada.

18. “We have met the enemy and they are ours."

19. Round Shot
If they wanted to hit a distant target,
they would fire round shot (cannon
ball).
Constitution’s cannon fired shot made
of cast iron that weighed 24 or 32
pounds and were about 5 ½ and 6 1/10
inches in diameter. The maximum
range for round shot was about 2400
yards, or 1.36 miles (this is the length
of 20 football fields). At the right
distance, round shot could punch
through the side of a ship, leaving a
ragged hole and producing a cloud of
deadly splinters. If a ship was struck
low in the hull, water might rush in
and the ship could sink.
Bar Shot
If a gun crew wished to damage an
enemy’s sails and rigging, they could
load and fire bar shot.
Made of wrought (hammered) iron,
bar shot consisted of two hemispheres
joined in the middle by a stiff iron bar.
When fired, bar shot spun at high
speed and cut through sails and ropes
like a buzz saw. It had a limited range,
however, so could only be used when
the ships were close to each other.
Naval Cannon Rounds Used During the War of 1812
We don’t need no
cannon… with our
rock hard muscles…
we can throw
cannonballs at ships
without breaking a
sweat.
Round Shot
Bar Shot

20. U.S.S. Constitution
The pride of the American Navy was a 44-gun warship. The warship was
called the U.S.S.Constitution, nicknamed Old Ironsides. Captain Isaac Hull
commanded the Constitution. In fact, the Constitution led off the war at sea
with a victory over the British warship, the H.M.S. Guerriere (gair-Yair)
The was nicknamed “Old Ironsides,” because
cannonballs seemed to bounced off its wooden sides.
Constitution's stated mission today is to promote understanding of the Navy's role in war and peace through
educational outreach, historic demonstration, and active participation in public events. As a fully commissioned US
Navy ship, her crew of 60 officers and sailors participate in ceremonies, educational programs, and special events
while keeping the ship open to visitors year round and providing free tours. The officers and crew are all active-
duty US Navy personnel and the assignment is considered special duty in the Navy.
USS Constitution Video

21. The British Invasion of 1814
In April 1814, the British transferred large numbers of ships and experienced
troops to America. One of the regions slated for attack was the Chesapeake Bay
region. By sweeping up the bay, British forces could threaten several major
American cities, including Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
American resistance to the attack was weak and disorganized. The British easily
swept aside American resistance at the Battle of Bladensburg and moved on to
Washington, D.C.

22. British Capture and Burn Washington, D.C.
In August of 1814, the British entered Washington. They burned the Capitol
building and the White House.
Dolly Madison
directed the removal
and safe storage of
precious holdings.
One of these holdings
was the famous
portrait of George
Washington by
Gilbert Stuart.
The British boasted
that, if captured, they
would parade Dolly
Madison through the
streets of London as
a prisoner of war.
Today, this same portrait of
George Washington by
Gilbert Stuart still hangs in
the east Room of the White
House.
Burning of Washington Video

23. British Advance to Baltimore
After destroying Washington, the British next moved on Baltimore. Standing
in their way was Fort McHenry at the entrance to Baltimore Harbor.

24. Fort McHenry
The British fleet began lobbing hundreds of bombshells and rockets at Ft.
McHenry. Despite the massive bombardment, the American forces refused to
surrender. The fort withstood the cannonade and in the morning, the Americans
raised their flag to show that the fort was still theirs. Baltimore was saved after
the British withdrew after their unsuccessful 24-hour siege.
Fort McHenry Video

25. Francis Scott Key
A young American lawyer named Francis Scott Key, who was detained on one
of the British ships, witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry. Francis
Scott Key was so inspired by the drama of the events that he was inspired to
write a poem, the Defense of Fort McHenry, "O, say can you see by the dawn's
early light?" His poem would evolve into our national anthem.
During the battle, the flag was hit 11 times. After the war, the poem and music were united and published first in
Philadelphia as the "Star Spangled Banner," which was then played on patriotic occasions. In 1889, the Secretary of
the Navy ordered the song played every time the flag was raised. Congress passed a law making the "Star Spangled
Banner" the national anthem in 1931.

26. Star Spangled Banner
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through
the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so
gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting
in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was
still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave?
Star Spangled Banner Video
Material from the flag was used to wrap one of the fallen defenders
killed during the British bombardment of the fort. The flag was
periodically displayed to the public and people were even allowed to
clip pieces from the flag as souvenirs.
Between 1815 and 1907, eight feet of the length of the flag was snipped
away. Today the flag is one of the great artifacts in the Smithsonian
Institution’s Museum of American History.

27. Battle of the Thames
On October 5, 1814 the British were defeated at the battle of the Thames
(Moraviantown) by an American army under the command of General
William Henry Harrison. Nearly all the British troops were captured and
Tecumseh, the great Native American leader, was killed.

28. Battle of New Orleans (January 8, 1815)
A British army was sent to capture the city and win control of the Mississippi
River. On January 8, 1815, The British launched a fierce frontal assault with
7,500 soldiers against the entrenched American lines of around 4,000 men and
were repulsed with heavy casualties. Jackson and his ragtag army had won the
last major battle of the war and saved New Orleans.
Battle of New Orleans by Johnny Horton
This song won the 1959 Grammys for Song of the
Year and Best Country and Western Performance
for Johnny Horton.
The battle of New Orleans occurred after the treaty that
had already ended the War of 1812 was signed.
Battle of New Orleans Video

29. Andrew Jackson
An American general who won the Battles of New Orleans during the
War of 1812.
President Madison put General Andrew Jackson of Tennessee in charge of defending the city. Jackson’s
soldiers played the decisive role in the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815.
Jackson would later be elected as President of the United States and serve two terms between 1828-1836.

30. Treaty of Ghent
The peace treaty that ended the War of 1812.
Peace negotiations began in Ghent, Belgium in August of 1814. After four
months of talks, the treaty was signed on December 24, 1814. The War of 1812
ended in a stalemate. The treaty returned all territorial conquests made by both
sides.
Britain ended its practice of impressment at the close of the War of 1812.
Shanghaiing (kidnapping sailors) was not outlawed in the United States until
1915.

31. National Identity
National pride and respect felt by US citizens after the War of 1812.
The War of 1812 produced a new generation of great
American generals, including Andrew Jackson and
Winfield Scott. It also helped propel no fewer than
four men to the presidency: Jackson, John Quincy
Adams, James Monroe and William Henry
Harrison.
Andrew Jackson Winfield Scott
John Quincy Adams
James Monroe
William Henry Harrison

32. Era of Good Feelings
After the War of 1812, Americans had national pride. Americans had a
greater feeling of loyalty toward the United States than toward their state
or region.
It was a time of political harmony in the country. One reason for this was
because the Republican Party was the only major political party that had
any power. The Federalist Party had lost political influence and popularity.

33. Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819
A treaty in 1919 between the United States and Spain in which Spain sold
Florida to the United States for five million U.S. dollars. It also set out a
boundary between the U.S. and New Spain (soon to be Mexico).

34. Spanish American Independence Movement
Spain’s colonies began to rebel in 1809. By 1824 all of Spain’s colonies on
the American mainland had declared their independence.
In the meantime Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia (and later
France) formed the Quadruple Alliance. These countries wanted to stop
movements against monarchies in Europe. Members of the alliance, except
Great Britain, discussed the possibility of helping Spain regain control of its
overseas colonies.

35. Monroe Doctrine
In response to European intervention in Latin American independence,
President Monroe issued the Monroe Doctrine. This foreign policy said that the
United States would not tolerate European intervention in the affairs of any
independent nation in the Americas.
European nations cannot
colonize any nation in the
Western Hemisphere. Any
attempt would be
considered an act of war
against the United States.