Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1 Thomas Jefferson’s second term began with great promise due to the popularity of the Louisiana Purchase and putting an end to the intimidation of U.S. merchant vessels in the Mediterranean by the Barbary pirates. Pirates of Tripoli, Algiers, Morocco and Tunis had been extorting protection money from U.S. merchant vessels in return for safe passage across the Mediterranean Sea.

Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1 Jefferson’s popularity plummeted during his last two years in office due to an economic crisis that resulted from a failure of foreign policy. – In Europe, as conflict continued between the British and French, Britain resumed the practice of impressing American sailors. – June 22, 1807: The British man-of-war Leopard fired on the U.S. frigate Chesapeake in the waters off the coast of Virginia.

The nation wanted war, but instead, Jefferson pushed through Congress the Embargo Act, prohibiting all exports to Europe and restricting imports from Great Britain. The embargo crippled the American economy and provoked outrage from American farmers and merchants. Smuggling became rampant, national unity was threatened, and Jefferson’s popularity took a huge hit—and that of the Federalists began to rise again. While Jefferson was dealing with England and France, the West that he had done so much to “open” with the Louisiana Purchase was erupting in violence. Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1

In 1794, the major tribes of the Old Northwest (the region from the Ohio River to the Great Lakes) were defeated by General “Mad Anthony” Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, resulting in the Treaty of Greenville—in which the Indians lost the southern two-thirds of Ohio. – In 1803, after almost a decade of relative peace on that frontier region, President Jefferson directed the territorial governor of Indiana, William Henry Harrison, to obtain “legal” title to as much Indian land as possible. – Over the next 3 years, Harrison acquired more than 70 million acres by negotiating with various Indian leaders. Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1

The trouble was that for every Indian leader who claimed authority to sell land, another rose up to repudiate that authority and the sale. The most notable and prominent Indian leader who rejected the transfer of Indian lands to the whites was Tecumseh (def): Shawnee leader who organized a united Indian resistance against white invasion of Western lands while cultivating alliances with British interests. Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1 Tecumseh and brother Tenskwatawa—”The Prophet” Handout: “Tecumseh”

Westerners were fearful of Tecumseh and other British-backed Indians—but they were also angry—Not only did the Indians need a good whipping, but so did the British, they believed. Westerners in America despised the British for 2 main reasons: – The British incited the Indians (like Tecumseh) to war against the Americans – The British disrupted American shipping and commerce. During this critical phase of America’s development, the British were preventing the West from shipping out its abundant exports. The West was chomping at the bits for war, and William Henry Harrison and Tecumseh were ready, willing, and able to give it to them. Late in the summer of 1811, Tecumseh left the Ohio country for the South to try to convince the Chickasaws, Choctaws, and Creeks of Alabama and Mississippi to join his alliance. With the exception of a militant Creek faction known as the Red Sticks, these groups wanted no part of Tecumseh’s plans. Name 5 Civilized Tribes Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1

Meanwhile, William Henry Harrison used Tecumseh’s absence to attack Tecumseh’s headquarters and defeat his forces being led by his brother, Tenskwatawa, at the Battle of Tippecanoe. Losses were equally heavy on both sides of the battle—about 50 whites and 50 Indians were killed. But the battle cost Tecumseh’s followers their headquarters and prompted many of them to desert Tecumseh. The settlers of the West had their first major taste of a major fight and a significant victory. Over the next three years, they would get more than their fill of fighting—but victories would be few and far between. Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1

THE WAR OF 1812—THE BEGINNING The War of 1812 is one of those historical events nobody thinks much about today. But earlier generations of American schoolchildren were taught that it was nothing less than the “Second War for Independence”—a righteous conflict fought because the British, at war with Napoleon and in need of sailors for the Royal Navy, insisted on boarding U.S. vessels to impress American sailors into His Majesty’s service. Less than 30 years had passed since the signing of the Treaty of Paris that was supposed to bring about peace between the two nations—but everyone knew that trouble would raise its head when the United States began to inevitably expand. The War of 1812 can be traced to 3 MAIN CAUSES: 1.British impressment of American sailors Public outcry over the issue of impressment grew with every action— estimates suggest that over 6,000 American citizens were impressed into British military service. 2. Economic losses due to the seizure of American cargo ships and disruption of U.S. trade – Between 1803 and 1812, nearly 1,500 American vessels had been seized, paralyzing the U.S. shipping industry and virtually eliminating U.S.-European trade. 3. Agitation by the War Hawks (pro- war faction of Congress who believed the U.S. should stand up to the British) of the South and West Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1

The two leading War Hawks were: 1.Henry Clay of Kentucky 2.John C. Calhoun of South Carolina Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1

Why were these “Hawks” so eager for this young, vulnerable nation to once again go into war against Great Britain? The “War Hawks” wanted a U.S. war against Great Britain for 3 MAIN REASONS: 1.Land hunger Pioneer farmers quickly exhausted the fertility of their soil and moved westward in search of new lands—which they cleared, planted, and eventually wore out, as well. By 1812, they had almost reached the end of forested areas. The northwestern farmers didn’t want to move into the treeless prairies of North America that lacked needed timber for houses, barns, and fences. The tough prairie sod was difficult to plow, and the technology to do so wouldn’t be available for many more decades. They believed that Canada and Spanish Florida could be gained through a war with Britain. Northwest farmers had their eye on the rich, wooded sections of Canada—Victory over Britain could bring Florida into the U.S. because Spain was an ally of Great Britain and war with Britain would most certainly mean war with Spain. Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1

2.National pride—Many Americans believed that it was “manifest destiny” for the United States to expand across the entire North American continent. 3. Troubled Indian relations For 20 years, frontiersman had fought against the Indians with very little help from the federal government. Many Indians of the Northwest had been reluctantly persuaded, bribed, or forced to give up more and more of their land. Time after time, the Indians had been promised that this would be the last land they would be forced to give up—and time after time, these promises were broken. Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1

Following the Battle of Tippecanoe in November 1811, Native American Indians increased their attacks on white settlers. – Many Americans were convinced that the British not only encouraged these attacks, but also supplied the Indians with weapons. James Madison, elected to his first term in 1808 as the 4 th President of the United States, was reluctant to lead America into another war. Madison renewed the diplomatic and economic initiatives President Jefferson had introduced. But facing a tough reelection battle in 1812, he at last gave in to the demands of Calhoun, Clay, and other leading War Hawks. Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1

Continuing British aggression and the persuasiveness of the War Hawks led Madison to change his mind about war with Britain, and although Madison was reelected in 1812, the election revealed a divided country on the issue of war. – The majority of the West and South favored war. (States Madison carried) – Most of the New England and Mid-Atlantic states were opposed to war. (Anti-war candidate DeWitt Clinton carried all of these states except Vermont and Pennsylvania) Unit 9: “Growing Pains”—NP 9-1 The United States officially declared war on Great Britain on June 19, 1812.