Foreign and Foreign and Domestic ProblemsDomestic ProblemsFrom Jefferson to Madison – Causes of the War of 1812

African Pirates• American merchant ships

attacked off the coast of North Africa

• Jefferson passed a law requiring all ships to be escorted through the Mediterranean Sea by the American Navy

• Americans advised to keep friendships with nations but avoid their entanglements foreign nations▫ Who first had this idea?

• Difficult for Americans to stay out of foreign affairs when involved so heavily with overseas trade

• Britain & France still at war in 1804

• American ships had neutral rights & traded with both▫ Both countries attacked our

ships▫ France seized & searched ships

trading with Britain▫ Britain blocked French coasts

• Britain impressed (kidnapped) American sailors to work on British ships▫ British attacked an American

ship, Chesapeake, in 1807

• Many demanded war

HMS Leopard, attacked the ChesapeakeHMS Leopard, attacked the Chesapeake

Fighting with Britain and France

Impacting Trade• Jefferson did not push for war

▫ “Peaceable coercion” was his terminology

• Congress passed the Embargo Act▫ American ships not allowed to

trade to European nations

• The act was a disaster ▫ American farmers and

merchants lost important markets for their products

▫ Many lost income▫ Many violated the embargo

• Congress eventually repealed it

• President Madison saw Britain as the greater threat▫ Interfered with shipping,

impressed sailors, and resisted in the west

• 1801-1810 : white settlers attacked American Indian lands in the west▫ Natives renewed trading

relationships with British in Canada

• 1811 – General William Henry Harrison attacked American Indians @ Prophetstown & proclaim a victory in the Battle of Tippecanoe

• Tecumseh (Indian leader) joined forces with the British

War Fever

• War Hawks pushed for a declaration of war with Great Britain▫ Led by Henry Clay of

Kentucky and John C. Calhoun of S. Carolina

▫ Their nationalism led to a new patriotism not seen since the Revolution

• Many wanted British aid to Natives to be stopped▫ Others wanted war because of

what happened at sea

• June 1, 1812 – President James Madison asked Congress for declaration of war▫ Congress agreed▫ First time we declared war

on a foreign nation

Declaration of War

British-French Wars

1793-1801

British-French Truce

1801-1803

Napoleonic War 1803-1814

Embargo Act 1807-1809

War of 1812 1812-1814

Important Dates

Year Export Value

1794 $ 33 million

1801 $ 94 million

1803 $ 54 million

1807 $ 108 million

1809 $ 22 million

1812 $ 61 million

1814 $ 7 million

Vessel Type

# of Guns

American Navy

British Navy

Ship of the Line

64-120

0 124

Frigate 26-50 8 116

Smaller Vessels

< 24 8 > 360

Naval Forces of the War of 1812

Presidential Candidate

PartyHome State

Popular VoteElectora

l VoteCount %

James Madison (Incumbent)

Democratic-Republican

Virginia 140,431 50.4% 128

DeWitt Clinton

Democratic-Republican

New York 132,781 47.6% 89

Rufus King Federalist New York 5,574 2.0% 0

Total 278,786 100.0% 217

Needed to win 109

War between Britain War between Britain and France…and France…Britain Britain blocked our coast and blocked our coast and stops our foreign stops our foreign tradetrade

When attacking When attacking American ships, American ships, the the British kidnaped British kidnaped sailors – sailors – “impressment”“impressment”

British aided British aided Natives against Natives against AmericansAmericans

Madison asked Madison asked Congress to declare Congress to declare

warwar against Great against Great Britain – War of 1812Britain – War of 1812