War of 1812

Causes Native Americans started to attack Americans as they moved out west Some members of the U.S. Congress believed that the British were aiding the Native Americans in their attacks War Hawks were U.S. Congressmen who were in favor of a war with Britain British Navy stopped U.S. in the Atlantic Ocean and forced the U.S. sailors to fight for the British Army or impressment Congress declared war on Great Britain starting the war of 1812

Burning of Washington D.C. Britain was fighting two wars, one with France and the other with the U.S., after the war with France Britain focused on the U.S. Britain attacked the U.S. from Canada with 14,000 soldiers, so the U.S. sent a majority of their army to fight the British in the North British then sent 4,000 troops into Washington D.C. where they burned the Capital building and the White House President James Madison and his wife fled D.C. before the British attacked

Star-Spangled Banner After D.C. Britain sent troops to Fort McHenry in Baltimore, where they bombarded the fort with cannons Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment but saw the determination the U.S. army had against Britain Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner when he saw the American flag still raised throughout the night Britain was turned back by the determination of the U.S. soldiers