War of 1812 Notes and Information Social Studies

Barbury States Trade with Europe was critical for goods and our economy American ships were being attacked in the Mediterranean Sea by pirates (from Morocco, Algiers, Tunisia, and Tripoli- called the Barbury States). European countries and US paid tribute (money for protection). A force of US Marines captured Tripoli, and it gave Americans confidence that they could deal with foreign powers.

Background Britain and France at war; US stayed neutral. We continued to buy, sell, and trade goods with both countries. Britain tried to beat France by using impressment. Impressment is when the British forced American soldiers to join the British navy. Jefferson’s response– the Embargo Act. Embargo is a government order that stops foreign trade. This hurt the US by causing exports to drop. Americans turned to smuggling and Congress repealed the Embargo Act as a result. Some Americans believed war was the answer--- they were known as War Hawks.

Causes of the War of 1812 Impressment: British ships stop American ships and force them to become a part of the British army.

Burning of Washington Americans captured the city of York in Canada. They burned it to the ground! The British were angry and wanted to get revenge. In August 1814, the British burned the capital city of Washington, DC to the ground.

Old Ironsides USS Constitution: Warship that was protected by solid oak walls over 20 inches thick and guarded by 54 machine guns. The English at the time had a powerful navy (600 ships vs. our 16 ships). On August 19, 1812, the Constitution saw she was being approached by HMS Guerriere. Americans were ordered not to fire as the British approached and waged their attack. As the cannonballs struck the ship and bounced off harmlessly, the British cried, “Her sides are made of iron!” When the 2 ships were about 50 ft apart, the captain ordered fire. In less than 30 minutes, the British ship was in the water with masts gone, over 1/3 of the crew dead and the ship surrendered.

USS Constitution

Ft. McHenry and the “Star Spangled Banner” The British attacked on Baltimore. They wanted to get Fort McHenry, which defended the city’s harbor. British ships bombarded the fort the whole night of September 13, 1814. As night broke into day, Francis Scott Key watched through the haze and saw the stars and stripes flying over the fort. On the back of an envelope, he wrote down his experience in the form of a poem called “The Star Spangled Banner.” In 1931, this became the national anthem of the US.

“Star Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott Key “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 thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” Whitney Houston singing the National Anthem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS4v431Mlak

The other verses of the “Star Spangled Banner” “On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, A home and a country should leave us no more! Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved home and the war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”

Treaty of Ghent By 1814, Britain was tired of the war. Peace talks began in Ghent, Belgium on December 24, 1814. The two sides signed the Treaty of Ghent ending the war. It took a while for the news to reach the US, so the two sides fought one more battle!

Battle of New Orleans On January 8, 1815, the British fought the Americans in the Battle of New Orleans. Knowing they would be attacked, Andrew Jackson formed his own army of backwoods sharpshooters, African Americans, and pirates. They joined forces to help defend the city of New Orleans. More than 2,000 British soldiers were killed or wounded, but only 71 American troops were killed or harmed in battle.

Results Neither side won and no land was traded. British did NOT agree to stop impressment US gained respect at home and in Europe Manufacturing increased.