In 1808, James Madison was elected President. At this time, Britain and France were at war. Thomas Jefferson, the previous President, tried to keep the United States neutral during this war. President Madison also wanted to stay neutral so that Americans could keep trading with Britain and France. Unfortunately, conflicts between the United States and Britain made them enemies.
Britain had a powerful navy. British sailors worked on American ships because the Americans paid more money. British soldiers often raided American ships in search of British sailors. Sometimes they captured American sailors and forced them into the British navy. This was called impressment.
In 1810, a group in Congress wanted to go to war with Britain. They called themselves War Hawks. They were angry about impressment and the fighting between American Indians and settlers on the frontier. The War Hawks believed that people in the British colony of Canada were supplying weapons to American Indians. The U.S. government made treaties that promised settlers would be kept off of lands that American Indians lived on. These promises were broken numerous times.
Tecumseh, a Shawnee chief, wanted to unite all the American Indian nations west of the Appalachian Mountains. Tecumseh believed that if the Indians united, they could keep settlers away. American Indians from many nations had joined Tecumseh by 1811.
Tecumseh and almost 1,000 of his followers lived near the Tippecanoe River in Indian Territory. William Henry Harrison, the governor of this area, felt Tecumseh and his followers were a threat. Harrison s army and Tecumseh s followers fought at the Battle of Tippecanoe. After the battle, Tecumseh joined British allies in Canada.
June 18, 1812- The United States declared war on Britain. United States goals for the war: Stop impressment Keep British from helping American Indians Drive the British out of Canada
Most of the early battles took place near Canada. The United States tried to invade Canada many times in 1812, but were unsuccessful. The British and American Indians captured Detroit, a city near the Canadian border. As the war continued, the United States started to win more battles. Captain Oliver Hazard Perry was able to force British ships to surrender on Lake Erie. As a result, the Americans recaptured Detroit and forced the British into Canada.
September 11, 1814 The Battle of Lake Champlain was an important victory for the United States. This battle forced British commanders to retreat and return back to Canada. The British had to abandon their plans to invade New York.
In August 1814, the British attacked Washington, D.C. While the British headed toward the White House, First Lady Dolley Madison did her best to collect important documents. She saved papers and a famous painting of George Washington that hung in the White House.
British forces burned the White House, the Capitol, and other buildings in Washington, D.C.
After burning Washington, the British moved on to Baltimore. The British used their ships to fire at Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor. The U.S. Army stood strong and did not surrender. Francis Scott Key Francis Scott Key watched this battle. In the early morning, Key saw the American flag flying over Fort McHenry, which inspired him to write a poem. This poem became The Star-Spangled Banner, our national anthem.
After fighting for two years, neither Britain or the United States was winning. The agreed to end the war. The Treaty of Ghent was signed in Ghent, Belgium. It did not give any side new land. The treaty returned things back to the way they were before the war. Canada still belonged to Britain.
James Monroe After the War of 1812, the United States wanted to keep European countries out of the Western Hemisphere. President James Monroe warned European countries to stay out of North and South America. If they did, the United States would not get involved in fights between European countries. This foreign policy became known as the Monroe Doctrine. A doctrine is an official statement of policy. The doctrine warned that if foreign countries did not follow this policy, the U.S. would act to protect the Western Hemisphere.