Lesson 1: A Time of Conflict Chapter 7: Foreign Affairs in the Early Republic Lesson 1: A Time of Conflict

Freedom of the Seas Sailing in foreign seas was dangerous. Ships in the Mediterranean had to be aware of pirates from Tripoli and other Barbary Coast states of North Africa. These pirates raided ships and demanded tribute, or protection money, from European governments to let ships pass. Jefferson refused to continue policy of paying tribute to North African pirates to prevent seizure of American ships, making United States the only maritime nation to refuse to pay protection money to Barbary pirates. A Barbary pirate?

In 1804, pirates seized a U.S. ship and had it towed to Tripoli Harbor, where they threw the captain and crew in jail. Stephen Decatur, a U.S. Navy captain, burned the captured ship to prevent pirates from using it. Tripoli agreed to stop demanding tribute, but the United States had to pay a ransom to free the ship’s crew. The Pasha of Tripoli declared war on the U.S. because he wanted a larger piece of the protection monies Jefferson dispatches the Marines 4 years of intermittent fighting insued Although the marines failed to defeat pirates, the pasha agreed to a treaty more favorable to United States We finally got peace from Tripoli for $60,000 to get our sailors back.

American sailors being impressed by the British navy. Foreign trade depended on sea travel. Between 1803 and 1805, U.S. trade prospered because the United States had neutral rights - the right to sail the seas and not take sides - in the war between Britain and France. In 1805, Britain and France began a new policy of seizing and searching ships. American sailors being impressed by the British navy.

The British needed soldiers in its Royal Navy because many were deserting. British naval patrols stopped American ships and searched for any soldiers they thought might be British deserters. The British would force sailors on the American ships to serve in the British navy in a practice called impressment. 1808-1811 → Britain impressed over 6,000 American sailors.

The Chesapeake-Leopard Incident In 1807, the British intercepted an American ship off the coast of Virginia and demanded to search it. When the captain of the U.S. ship refused, the British opened fire. June 21, 1807. Br. Captain fired on the USS Chesapeake. 3 dead, 18 wounded. Br. Foreign Office said it was a mistake. Jefferson’s Response: Forbade Br. ships to dock in American ports. Ordered state governors to call up as much as 100,000 militiamen.

The Embargo Act of 1807 Jefferson hoped embargo would put economic pressure on Britain and France Federalist hated this as New England suffered Southern farmers also suffered in Jefferson’s last months as president, Congress repealed the Embargo Act and replaced it with the Non-Intercourse Act, which forbade trade only with Britain and France and authorized president to end the boycott against either power if it stopped violating rights of Americans In 1807, The United States passed the Embargo Act, which prohibited trade with foreign countries, but it was ineffective. The embargo damaged America’s economy. American merchants resented the embargo and frequently violated it.

President James Madison The Election of 1808 Elected in 1808 Virginian lawyer and student of history Wrote a large part of the U.S. Constitution Stood barely 5’4” and 120 pounds but, an intellectual ahead of his time President James Madison In 1808, James Madison was elected president.

Question Break #1 In 1803, which two European nations went to war against each other? What is impressment? The British violation of America’s neutral rights led America to pass a trade __________ in 1807.

War Fever In 1810, Napoleon Bonaparte promised to end France’s trade restrictions with the United States, and the United States resumed trade with the French. However, the French continued to seize American ships. Americans were unsure of who their enemy was - the British or the French. Napoleon Bonaparte

Ohio became the our 17th state in 1803 Ohio Becomes a State Ohio became a state in 1803, and more farmers began settling in the Ohio Valley on land that had been guaranteed to the Native Americans. Ohio became the our 17th state in 1803

Problems with Native Americans Tecumseh, a powerful Shawnee chief, build a confederacy among Native American nations in the Northwest to halt the white movement onto Native American lands. Native Americans were often aided by the British, as shown in this picture depicting a meeting between British General Brock and Tecumseh.

The Prophet was Tecumseh’s brother, Tenskwatawa. He urged Native Americans to return to the customs of their ancestors. He attracted a huge following and set up a village in northern Indiana called Prophetstown. The Prophet

William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison, the governor of Indiana territory, was alarmed by the Shawnee brothers. He wrote a letter to Tecumseh, telling him the United States had many more warriors than did the Native Americans. Tecumseh went in person to speak to the white people. Harrison invited Native Indian chiefs to Ft. Wayne, IN to sign away 3 mil. acres of land to the US government. William Henry Harrison

Harrison attacked Prophetstown in 1811, in the Battle of Tippecanoe. Many Native Americans, including Tecumseh, fled to Canada. This flight to Canada led Americans to believe the British were supporting Native Americans. This battle made Harrison a national hero! [1840 election → Tippecanoe & Tyler, too!] Battle of Tippecanoe

The War Hawks A group of young Republicans known as the War Hawks pressured the president to declare war on Britain. They wanted revenge for British actions against Americans, and they wanted to expand the power of the United States. Their nationalism, or loyalty to their country, appealed to many Americans. In this British cartoon, King George III of Great Britain is shown offering firearms to Native Americans in return for the scalps of U.S. soldiers. It is thought that the cartoon took its inspiration from the incidents surrounding the 1812 Fort Dearborn massacre. On August 15, 1812, the commander of the U.S. forces at Fort Dearborn, General Hull, ordered the evacuation of the fort, giving it over to British forces. The evacuation consisted of almost one hundred and fifty soldiers and their families, all of whom left for Fort Wayne, Indiana. During the retreat, a group of Native Americans ambushed the evacuees, killing almost half. Many of those who remained were taken prisoner and sold to the British, who then released them. The scene in this cartoon is slightly more ominous in tone. Although the scene is highly dramatized, one of the leading concerns during the War of 1812 was the alliance of many Native-American tribes with the British, who had encouraged wars against Americans on the frontier. In this British political cartoon, King George III is shown offering guns to Native Americans in return for the scalps of U.S. citizens.

Henry Clay and John Calhoun led the War Hawks.

By the spring of 1812, Madison had decided that war with Britain was inevitable. He had not received word of Britain’s decision to end searches and seizures of American ships.

Daring attack on Tripoli Harbor. Embargo Act passed to hurt Britain. Governor of Indiana Territory met with Tecumseh. Eventually the Americans attacked Tecumseh’s people and defeated them.

Question Break #2 Tecumseh wanted to create a strong confederacy of Native Americans with the backing of the __________ to resist white settlement. How did General William Henry Harrison earn the nickname “Tippecanoe”? Both Westerners and Southerners encouraged war with Britain partly due to their desire for __________.