8.4 Lesson "The War of 1812"

Chapter 8, Lesson 4

The War of 1812

❖ Describe the major events of the War of

1812.

❖ Outline the agreements made in the peace

treaty that ended the war.

❖ Explain why the American victory led to an

increase in nationalism and pride.

8.4 Lesson Goals:

8.4 Warm-up

Ye Parliaments of England,
Ye lords and commons, too,

Consider well what you’re about,

And what you’re goin’ to do;

You’re now at war with Yankees,
And I’m sure you’ll rue the day
Ye roused the sons of liberty,

In North Americay.

Who do you think is singing this song? (be specific)

Who are they singing it to?

The War Begins…but is the U.S Ready?

The U.S. army

consisted of fewer
than 7,000 troops

Public support?

Many states opposed
“Mr. Madison’s War”

The states had between
50,000 to 100,000 militia

But they were poorly

trained

Americans

underestimated the

strength of the
British and their

Why had Jefferson slashed the size of the army and navy?

To reduce the national debt

Native American allies

The Fighting Begins

July 1812

The Battle of Lake Erie

September 10, 1813

Perry’s orders were
to seize control of
Lake Erie from the
British

After a bloody battle,
Perry’s fleet
defeated the British
naval force

“We have met the enemy and

they are ours.”

Oliver Hazard Perry

Oh don’t force me to take it,
Brother Jonathan – Give me
Holland Gin, French Brandy –
anything but this D—d Yankee

Perry – it has already fuddled me.

Take it, Johnny – take it I say – why

can’t you take it? – It will mend
your morals & your manners too

friend Johnny – Plague on you, you

shall swallow it.

Brother Jonathan is a nickname for the United States that pre-dates Uncle Sam and John Bull is a
nickname for England. In this political cartoon from 1813, Brother Jonathan is pouring a drink of perry
down the throat of John Bull. Perry was a drink made from the unfermented juice of the pear and it
would upset the stomach of anyone who consumed it. Perry is also a pun on the name of the naval
commander and hero Oliver Hazard Perry (1785-1819), whose defeat of the British on Lake Erie
proved to be one of the most decisive battles in U.S. History and prevented the British from gaining
control of the Great Lakes. In his first report of the battle to General William H. Harrison, Perry said,
"We have met the enemy and they are ours, two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop."
Brother Jonathan is pictured in late eighteenth-century clothes including top-boots and long-cued wig.
This may symbolize America as simple, honest, and morally superior to the British who appear
bloated and pompous in his bright crimson uniform bedecked with epaulets and medals. In the
distance we can see a naval engagement, again a reference to the American victories at sea during
the early stages of the war. Although signed "Yankee Doodle," this cartoon was created by Amos
Doolittle (1754-1832) of New Haven, Connecticut. Doolittle was a famous early American engraver
who created many images of significant historic scenes. As a young man, he marched under Captain
Benedict Arnold to Lexington and Concord in 1775, and his experiences there resulted in the first
published images of that battle, four copperplate engravings titled the Battles of Lexington and
Concord. In the accompanying advertisement for this cartoon, Doolittle wrote, "Although many
caricatures extant are of no use, and some of them have an immoral effect, I flatter myself that this
will not answer that description. At the present time, it is believe, it will have a tendency to inspire our
countrymen with confidence in themselves, and eradicate any terrors they may feel as respects the
enemy they have to combat."

Drag and Drop

The cartoon on the previous slide depicts John Bull being forced to drink from a tankard labeled ​

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. This drink made from the unfermented juice of the ​

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and would sicken anyone who drank it. Perry is also a play on the name of the naval commander and ​

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Oliver Hazard Perry . Perry's defeat of the British on Lake ​

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proved to be one of the most ​

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battles in U.S. History and prevented the British from gaining control of the Great Lakes.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Perry

pear

hero

Erie

pivotal

Republicans had reduced the size of the navy to
help lower the

.

However, the navy still boasted three of the fastest
frigates afloat. A frigate is a

.

American privateers also staged spectacular
attacks on British ships and captured numerous
vessels. A privateer is an…

national debt

warship

armed private ship

Battles, Continued…

Match

Match the following

• Tecumseh was killed

• Americans burned Canadian parliament

• destroyed 2 British vessels

• armed private ship

• gained control of the Great Lakes

Battle of Thames

Battle of York

U.S.S. Constitution

privateer

Battle of Lake Erie

• Battle of Thames

• Battle of York

• U.S.S. Constitution

• privateer

• Battle of Lake Erie

Setback for Native Americans

The Battle of Horseshoe Bend

In March 1814, Andrew Jackson led an attack against the Creeks
in Alabama. His forces slaughtered more than 550 of the Creek
people. Their defeat broke the Creeks’ resistance and forced
them to give up most of their lands to the U.S.

The British Offensive

Attack on Washington, D.C.

With the war with France over, the British were able to send much of their
navy and many more troops to deal with the United States…

In August 1814, the
British sailed into
Chesapeake Bay.
Their destination was
Washington, D.C.

On the outskirts of
D.C., the British
troops quickly
overpowered the
militia.

“They proceeded, without a moment’s delay, to burn and destroy

everything in the most distant degree connected with government.”

Baltimore Holds Firm

Hotspot

Mark the location of Ft. McHenry.

Francis Scott Key

In the thick of the War of 1812, Baltimore lawyer Francis Scott Key
approached British authorities in the hopes of learning the
whereabouts of a physician friend thought to have been
incarcerated by the British for “unfriendly acts.” Key was detained
on one of the British warships that had sailed into Baltimore Harbor
to attack Fort McHenry, the cities last defense against British
occupation.

The attack, which Key witnessed from the ship’s deck, began at
night on September 13, 1814, with a massive naval bombardment of
Fort McHenry. Thousands of salvos “bursting in air” were fired
against the fort, but to Key’s astonishment, the “dawn’s early light”
revealed that the American flag – Old Glory – “was still there.”

Defeat at Plattsburgh

(New York)

1.

General Sir George Prevost
led more than 10,000 British
troops into NY from Canada

2.

Goal: to capture Plattsburgh,
a key city on Lake Champlain

3.

The invasion was stopped
when an American naval
force defeated the British
fleet in September 1814

4.

The British forced to retreat
to Canada

After the Battle of Lake Champlain, the British decided the

war in North America was too costly and unnecessary.

The War Ends

The Treaty of Ghent

Signed in Ghent, Belgium

December 24, 1814

The Battle of New Orleans

•Battle was culmination of a month of minor skirmishes
•Treaty of Ghent ending the war had been signed several
weeks before, unbeknownst to combatants
•Led by Andrew Jackson, a rag-tag group of Americans
caused 3000 British casualties in 40 minutes
•They fought behind cotton bales that could not be shipped
because of the British naval blockade
•Andrew Jackson becomes a hero and later uses his fame to
become President in 1828

Outcomes of the War:
▪New American Nationalism
▪Growth in American Manufacturing
▪Native American issues are settled
▪No territorial exchanges between the US and Britain

Causes of the War:
•Impressment of American sailors at the hands of
the British
•Violation of American neutral rights on the open
seas
•Encouragement of Native Americans to attack
white settlers in the western United States

Overview of the War

Match

Match the following

• commander of Lake Erie naval forces

• frigates

• wrote the national anthem

• armed private ships

• attacked the Creeks

Oliver Hazard Perry

warships

Francis Scott Key

privateers

Andrew Jackson

• Oliver Hazard Perry

• warships

• Francis Scott Key

• privateers

• Andrew Jackson

Multiple Choice

The great leader Tecumseh was killed in the

• Battle of Lake Erie.

• Battle of the Thames.

• Battle of Tippecanoe.

• Battle of York

Multiple Choice

One of the buildings burned by the British was

• the Capitol.

• Mt. Vernon.

• the Patent Office.

• Washington Manor.

Multiple Choice

The Star-Spangled Banner was inspired by the bombardment of

• Ft. Detroit

• Ft. Washington

• Ft. Baltimore

• Ft. McHenry

Multiple Choice

Which battle made Andrew Jackson a national hero and eventually helped him win the precedency?

• Battle of Lake Erie

• Battle of Horseshoe Bend

• Battle of New Orleans

• Battle of the Thames