The document provides an agenda and background information on the events leading up to the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain. It discusses how Britain and France were seizing American merchant ships during their war, impressing American sailors, and supporting Native American tribes who were resisting western expansion by American settlers. Frustrated by these issues, as well as a desire for territorial expansion, a group of War Hawks in Congress pushed for war with Britain. This led to the US declaring war in 1812 and several major battles ensuing, including the successful American defense of Fort McHenry that inspired the national anthem. The war ended in 1814 with the Treaty of Ghent which resolved none of the original issues but boosted American

1. • AGENDA
• MISSION STATEMENT:
– John F. Kennedy High School mission is to
develop our Island students to become
globally prime high achievers
• ESLR’s
– Responsible Citizen
– Problem Solver
– Effective Communicator
– Technologically Literate

2. • AGENDA
– Objective:
• To examine the major events leading up to the War of 1812.
• HANDOUTS ON CHAPTER 6

3. • CHAPTER 6 SECTION 4
Challenge to Neutrality

4. American merchant
Great Britain
I hate you,
French dude!
Je
vous
hais
plus!
You boys can
keep on killing
each other. If
either of y’all
need anything,
just give us
Yankees a holler!
France

5. Great Britain
• In 1803, Britain and
France went to war
again.
• Both countries
seized U.S. ships
sailing towards the
ports of their
enemy.
France

6. • . British ships
impressed
(captured/ forced
to fight) US crew
members,
claiming they were
deserters from
Britain’s Royal
Navy. They also
confiscate cargos.
Between 1808 and
1811 over 6,000
Americans were
impressed by the
British.

7. I know what to do! If
we don’t allow
American ships to trade
with anyone, then they
won’t get attacked!
Mr. President,
True, but
the British and
that’s not
French keep
seizing American
what I had in
merchant ships.
mind!
Something must
be done!
President Thomas
Jefferson
American
merchant

8. Embargo Act (1807)
• The Embargo Act banned U.S. ships from trading with any
country.
• All imports and exports
were banned!
• This hurt the U.S.
economy more!
Non-Intercourse Act (1809)
• Trade with all nations was allowed EXCEPT Britain /France.
• US became self-sufficient. Laid the groundwork for industrial power.

9. The Embargo Act of 1813 is personified by a huge terrapin, who seizes a
smuggler by the pants. The cartoon was aimed at the people of New
England, who, allegedly, were supplying the British with provisions.

10. War Hawks
War Hawks – members of Congress,
led by Henry Clay (want war with Britain)
34 year old Henry Clay, Speaker of the US
House or Representative and War Hawk
leader.

11. War Hawk’s Rationale for War
I. Nationalism – pride or devotion to
one’s country
II. Territorial Expansion
III. Want an end of British
support to Natives

12. Election of 1808

13. • 4th President
• Democratic-Republican
• James Madison

14. Western Conflict
•
after independence, many poured into
the West
•
•
settlers ignored Indian rights and pushed
their way in
invalid treaties were negotiated
» Indian faced lost of culture

15. The Prophet and Tecumseh
• Tenskwatawa, also known as “The
Prophet”, - to survive, Native
Americans had to give up white
ways of life.
• Tecumseh wanted
to unify all tribes
and resist all further
settlement and
revive culture

16. • In 1808, the Prophet built a village for his followers in
Tippecanoe, Indiana.

17. Showdown at Tippecanoe
• In 1811, Native grew
and aided by Britain
• William Henry
Harrison led 1,000
troops against them in
the Battle of
Tippecanoe Creek.
William Henry Harrison,
Territorial Governor of Indiana

18. Madison re-elected
WAR of 1812
Madison asked Congress to go to war
with Britain
US believed it would be a short war since
Britain was too busy fighting with France.
It’s forces will be divided.

19. The U.S. declared war on Great Britain because
of their:
- impressment of U.S. sailors.
- violation of U.S. sea rights.
- support of Native Americans.

20. In the War of
1812, the U.S.
captured and
burned the
Canadian city
of York.
Then US
found out
the France
LOST.
Now Britain
can
concentrate
its forces
toward US

21. In return, the
British marched
on Washington
D.C. They
burned the White
House, the
Capitol, and
other buildings.

22. Washington, D.C on
FIRE!
The city was completely
unprepared for the invaders,
but one woman took immediate
action. Even as people were
fleeing the city in droves, First
Lady Dolley Madison refused to
leave without some of the
nation's most important
treasures-including the famous
Gilbert Stuart portrait of
George Washington.

23. The British took
Ft. McHenry
near Baltimore,
MD. They
bombarded the
fort with
cannonballs
fired from land
and nearby
ships.

24. Aboard the
British flagship was an
American
lawyer name
Francis

25. Francis did not sleep
that night as the
British guns pounded
Ft. McHenry. From
the deck of the
warship he could see
the flash of guns
firing away. Could
the Americans hold
out? During the
night, Francis asked
himself that question
many times.

26. The night gave way to
dawn.
For three day the
bombs bursting in air
Francis peered through
the haze and smoke.
When the air cleared,
he saw the stars and
stripes were still there.
The British had failed
to capture Ft.
McHenry.

27. • When the smoke cleared, “our flag was still there”.
• In response, Francis decided to write a poem

28. The Star-Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key
O say can you see, by the
dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at
the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and
bright stars through the
perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watch'd
were so gallantly streaming?
(defensive barrier)
And the rocket's red glare, the
bomb bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave?

29. The StarSpangled
Banner,
written in
Francis
Scott Key’s
own
handwriting.
(1840)

30. The original Star-Spangled Banner
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History,
Washington, D.C.

31. Treaty of Ghent
• While it ended the war, the
•
•
•
•
•
treaty did not resolve any of the
problems between Britain and
the U.S.
Neither side gained muchreturned things the way it were
set boundaries between US
and Canada
Fueled national pride and
gained respect
Considered victory: held its own
against a major powerful nation
Sealed the faith of US as an
independent nation

32. Battle of New Orleans
• Led by Gen. Andrew Jackson, the U.S. defeated the British
two weeks after the Treaty of Ghent was signed.
• Casualties: Britain – 2,030; U.S. – 7

33. Battle of New Orleans: Eyewitness Accounts
“Such a destruction of men, for the time it lasted, was never
before witnessed”
- American Engineer Major Tatum Howell