330 CHAPTER 10

ONE AMERICAN’S STORYThe war between the United States and Britain had begun

in 1812. Two years later, British troops were marching

toward Washington, D.C. Dolley Madison, the president’s

wife, stayed behind until the last minute to save

important historical objects from the White House.

A VOICE FROM THE PAST

I have had [a wagon] filled with . . . the most valuableportable articles belonging to the house. . . . I insist onwaiting until the large picture of General Washington is secured.

Dolley Madison, from a letter sent to her sister

When the British troops arrived in the city, they set

fire to many public buildings, including the White

House and the Capitol. You will learn about other

events of the War of 1812 in this section.

The War BeginsBritain did not really want a war with the United States because it wasalready involved in another war with France. To try to avoid war, theBritish announced that they would no longer interfere with Americanshipping. But the slow mails of the day prevented this news from reachingthe United States until weeks after June 18th, when Congress approvedMadison’s request for a declaration of war.

The War of 1812 had two main phases. From 1812 to 1814, Britainconcentrated on its war against France. It devoted little energy to the con-flict in North America, although it did send ships to blockade theAmerican coast. The second phase of the war began after the Britishdefeated France in April 1814. With their European war nearly at an end,the British could turn their complete attention to the United States.

MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW TERMS & NAMES

Before British troopsset fire to thepresident’s mansion,Dolley Madisonsaved pricelesshistorical objects.

44

The War of 1812

Angered by Britain’s interference in

the nation’s affairs, the United

States went to war.

The War of 1812 showed that the

United States was willing and able

to protect its national interests.

Oliver HazardPerry

Battle of theThames

Francis ScottKey

Treaty of Ghent

The Jefferson EraSummariesMain Idea: .Details:

Main Idea: Details:

Main Idea: Details:

Main Idea: Details:

CALIFORNIA STANDARDS

8.5.1 Understand the political andeconomic causes and consequencesof the War of 1812 and know themajor battles, leaders, and eventsthat led to a final peace.

CST3 Students use a variety ofmaps and documents to identifyphysical and cultural features ofneighborhoods, cities, states, andcountries and to explain the histori-cal migration of people, expansionand disintegration of empires, andthe growth of economic systems.

HI2 Students understand and distin-guish cause, effect, sequence, andcorrelation in historical events,including the long- and short-termcausal relations.

Taking Notes

Use your chart totake notes about the War of 1812.

The United States military was weak when the war was declared.Democratic-Republicans had reduced the size of the armed forces.When the war began, the Navy had only about 16 ships. The army hadfewer than 7,000 men. These men were poorly trained and equipped,and were often led by inexperienced officers. A young Virginia armyofficer complained that the older officers were victims of “sloth, igno-rance, or habits of [excessive] drinking.”

The First Phase of the WarIn spite of its small size, the United States Navy rose to the challenge.Its warships were the fastest afloat. American naval officers had gainedvaluable experience fighting pirates in the Mediterranean Sea. Early inthe war, before the British blockaded the coast, ships such as theConstitution and the United States won stirring victories. These victorieson the high seas boosted American confidence.

The most important U.S. naval victory took place on Lake Erie. Inthe winter of 1812-1813, the Americans had begun to build a fleet onthe shores of Lake Erie. Oliver Hazard Perry, an experienced officer,took charge of this infant fleet. In September 1813, the small Britishforce on the lake set out to attack the American ships. CommodorePerry, who had predicted that this would be “the most important day ofmy life,” sailed out to meet the enemy. Perry’s ship, the Lawrence, flew abanner declaring, “Don’t give up the ship.”

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The War of 1812

331

BATTLES OF THE WAR

1. Atlantic Ocean. British navy blockadesAmerican coast, 1813

2. Lake Erie. Perry’s fleet defeats a Britishfleet, 1813

3. Thames River. Harrison defeats British in Canada, killing Tecumseh, 1813

4. Washington, D.C. British burn thecapital but later fail to capture nearbyBaltimore, 1814

5. Lake Champlain. American shipsdefeat British, who retreat to Canada,1814

6. New Orleans. Jackson’s army defeatsBritish in Battle of New Orleans, 1815

GEOGRAPHY SKILLBUILDERInterpreting Maps1. Location Where was Fort McHenry located?2. Movement Which battle required American

troops to march into Canada?

SkillbuilderAnswers 1. in Baltimore,Maryland; near theChesapeake Bay 2. the Battle of theThames River

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For two hours, the British and Americans exchanged cannon shots.Perry’s ship was demolished and the guns put out of action. He grabbedhis ship’s banner and leaped into a rowboat. Under British fire, he and fourcompanions rowed to another ship. In command of the second ship, Perry

destroyed two of the enemy’s ships and soon forced the Britishto surrender. After the battle, Perry sent a message to GeneralHarrison: “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”

When General Harrison received Perry’s note, he set out toattack the British. But when Harrison transported his armyacross Lake Erie to Detroit, he discovered that the British had

retreated into Canada. Harrison pursued the British forces and defeatedthem at the Battle of the Thames in October. This victory put an end tothe British threat to the Northwest—and also claimed the life ofTecumseh, who died in the battle fighting for the British.

The Second Phase of the WarAfter defeating Napoleon in April 1814, Britain turned its full attention tothe United States. As you read in One American’s Story, British forcesburned the Capitol building and the president’s mansion in August. TheBritish then attacked Fort McHenry at Baltimore.

The commander of Fort McHenry had earlierrequested a flag “so large that the British will have nodifficulty in seeing it.” Detained on a British ship, aWashington lawyer named Francis Scott Key watchedthe all-night battle. At dawn, Key discovered that theflag was still flying. He expressed his pride in whatbecame the U.S. national anthem.

A VOICE FROM THE PAST

Oh say can you see by the dawn’s early lightWhat so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fightO’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet waveO’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Francis Scott Key, Star-Spangled Banner

Meanwhile, in the north, the British sent a force fromCanada across Lake Champlain. Its goal was to pushsouth and cut off New England. The plan failed whenthe American fleet defeated the British in the Battle ofLake Champlain in September 1814.

In the south, the British moved against the strategicport of New Orleans. In December 1814, dozens of shipscarrying 7,500 British troops approached Louisiana. Tofight them, the Americans patched together an armyunder the command of General Andrew Jackson.

A. DrawingConclusionsWhat was theoverall result ofthe Battle of theThames?A. PossibleResponse The vic-tory put an endto the Britishthreat from theNorthwest.

B. Reading a MapLocate the bat-tles of the secondphase of the waron the map onpage 331. Notehow far apart thesites were.

“Don’t give upthe ship.”

Banner on Perry’s ship, the Lawrence

332 CHAPTER 10

THE STAR-SPANGLEDBANNER

The “Star-Spangled Banner,”inspired by the flag that flewover Fort McHenry (see below),continues to move Americans.On hearing this nationalanthem, patriotic listenersstand, take off their hats, andput their hands over theirhearts. These actions payrespect to the American flagand the song that celebrates it.

Francis Scott Key’s songenjoyed widespread popularityfor more than 100 years beforean act of Congress made it thenational anthem in 1931.

The British attacked Jackson’s forces on January 8, 1815. Protected byearthworks, American riflemen mowed down the advancing redcoats. Itwas a great victory for Jackson. American casualties totaled 71, comparedto Britain’s 2,000. Though the Battle of New Orleans made Jackson ahero, it was unnecessary. Slow mails from Europe had delayed news of theTreaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812. It had been signed twoweeks earlier, on December 24, 1814.

The Legacy of the WarThe treaty showed that the war had no clear winner. No territorychanged hands, and trade disputes were left unresolved. Still, the warhad important consequences. First, the heroic exploits of men such asAndrew Jackson and Oliver Perryincreased American patriotism.Second, the war broke the strengthof Native Americans, who hadsided with the British. Finally,when war interrupted trade, theAmericans were forced to makemany of the goods they had previ-ously imported. This encouragedthe growth of U.S. manufactures.

The United States had also provedthat it could defend itself against themightiest military power of the era.For perhaps the first time, Americansbelieved that the young nation wouldsurvive and prosper. You will learnabout the country’s growing prosper-ity in Chapter 11.

The Jefferson Era 333

2. Using GraphicsUse a chart like the oneshown to record militaryevents of the War of 1812.

Why was the war dividedinto two phases? (CST1)

3. Main Ideasa. What was the state of theU.S. military when the warbegan? (HI1)

b. What were the results ofGeneral Harrison’s victory atthe Battle of the Thames?(HI2)

c. Where did the British focustheir attacks during the sec-ond phase of the war? (HI1)

4. Critical ThinkingRecognizing Effects Whatwas the legacy of the War of1812? (HI2)

THINK ABOUT• Americans’ feelings

toward their country• U.S. relations with Native

Americans• possible economic effects

1. Terms & NamesExplain the

significance of:• Oliver Hazard Perry• Battle of the

Thames• Francis Scott Key• Treaty of Ghent

Section Assessment

ACTIVITY OPTIONS

LANGUAGE ARTSART

Research the U.S.S. Constitution. Write a poem to commemorate one of itsvictories or design a model to show its parts. (REP1)

4

SKILLBUILDER Interpreting ChartsWhich effect do you think resulted from the war’s interruption of U.S. trade?

The Effects of the War

IncreasedAmericanpatriotism

WeakenedNative American

resistance

U.S. manufacturing

grew

WAR

First Phase of War

1.

Second Phaseof War

2.

C. MakingInferences Whydid Jackson fightthe British atNew Orleansafter a peacetreaty wassigned?C. PossibleResponsebecause slowmails delayednews of the treaty

Skillbuilder AnswerU.S. manufacturinggrew.

The Jefferson Era(CST2)

Jefferson Takes OfficeThomas Jefferson and his party,the Democratic-Republicans, wincontrol of the government fromthe Federalists.

The Louisiana Purchaseand Exploration

After Jefferson purchasesLouisiana from France, Lewis and Clark are sent to explore the new American territory.

Problems with Foreign Powers

Other countries’ interferencemakes it difficult for Jefferson to stay out of foreign affairs.

The War of 1812When Britain continues tointerfere in American affairs, the two nations battle in theWar of 1812.

334 CHAPTER 10

TERMS & NAMES

1. Marbury v. Madison

2. judicial review

3. Louisiana Purchase

4. Lewis and Clark expedition

5. impressment

6. Embargo Act of 1807

7. Tecumseh

8. War Hawk

9. Oliver Hazard Perry

10. Treaty of Ghent

REVIEW QUESTIONSJefferson Takes Office (pages 313–317)

1. What were the main parties inthe election of 1800, and howdid their views differ? (HI1)

2. How did Jefferson envision thefuture of America? (HI1)

The Louisiana Purchase andExploration (pages 318–325)

3. What was the extent of U.S.territory after the LouisianaPurchase? (CST3)

4. What difficulties did Lewis andClark face on their expedition?(HI1)

5. What troubles did Zebulon Pikehave on his 1806-1807 trip? (HI1)

Problems with Foreign Powers(pages 326–329)

6. Why did Jefferson have difficulty staying out of foreign affairs? (HI2)

7. How did Tecumseh intend toprevent the loss of NativeAmerican land? (HI1)

8. What were some of the causesof the War of 1812? (HI2)

The War of 1812 (pages 330–333)

9. Which battle ended the Britishthreat to the U.S. Northwest? (HI2)

10. What event preceded the secondphase of the war? (HI2)

CRITICAL THINKING1. USING YOUR NOTES:SUMMARIZING

Using your completed chart,answer the questions below. (HI1)

a. What were the major events ofthe Jefferson era?

b. Based on these events, howwould you describe thecharacteristics of the era?

2. ANALYZING LEADERSHIP

How do you think ThomasJefferson’s behavior as presidentmight have affected the way futurepresidents viewed the office? (CST1)

3. THEME: EXPANSION

How did the expansion of theUnited States affect its foreignpolicy? (HI2)

4. RECOGNIZING PROPAGANDA

Before elections, supporters of different candidates sometimesmake outrageous claims. How wasthe election of 1800 an example of this? (REP4)

5. APPLYING CITIZENSHIP SKILLS

In what ways did Jefferson’s behav-ior as president reflect his idea ofgood citizenship? (HI1)

How did the dangers you predictedbefore you read the chapter com-pare to those experienced by people on expeditions west?

VISUAL

SUMMARY

10Chapter ASSESSMENT

Briefly explain thesignificance of eachof the following:

The Jefferson Era

Summaries

Main Idea: Thomas Jefferson is elected president.Details: Jefferson replaces Federalist policies with his own but has problems with the judiciary.

Main Idea: Details:

Main Idea: Details:

Main Idea: Details:

Interact with History

The Jefferson Era 335

TEST PRACTICECLASSZONE .COM

Use the graph and your knowledge of U.S. historyto answer questions 1 and 2.

Additional Test Practice, pp. S1–S33.

1. What was the value of imports in 1812? (8.4.3)

A. about 30 million dollars

B. about 40 million dollars

C. about 60 million dollars

D. about 70 million dollars

2. Between which years did the value of U.S. tradedecrease dramatically? (8.4.3)

A. 1800–1802

B. 1804–1806

C. 1806–1808

D. 1810–1812

This quotation from Thomas Jefferson is about polit-ical parties. Use the quotation and your knowledgeof U.S. history to answer question 3.

PRIMARY SOURCE

Let us, then, fellow-citizens, unite with one heart andone mind. . . . Every difference of opinion is a differ-ence of principle. . . . We are all Republicans, we areall Federalists.

Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address

3. Which of the following statements best summa-rizes Jefferson’s point of view? (8.4.2)

A. Political parties are divisive and should bedissolved.

B. A new party, the Republican-Federalist party,should be formed.

C. Political parties should cooperate on issues ofgovernment.

D. The Republican party should be dissolved.

CLASSZONE .COMINTERNET ACTIVITY

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT1. WRITING ABOUT HISTORY

Suppose you are John Adams and the year is 1800.Thomas Jefferson is ending many of the Federalist pro-grams that you initiated while president. Write a letterto a friend that describes your distress. (REP5)

• Use library resources to find the programs thatJefferson eliminated and write about them.

• Find quotations that convey Adams’s emotions.

2. COOPERATIVE LEARNING

Work with two other students to develop a plan toend British interference with U.S. shipping. Have onestudent represent shippers, another represent farmers,and the third represent citizens who are demandingwar. Discuss the interests of these groups and possiblecompromises. Then write a policy statement. (HI1)

INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGYCREATING A MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION

Use the Internet, books, and other reference materialsto create a multimedia presentation about one of themajor battles of the War of 1812. (HI1)

• Using the Internet and resources in the library, findwritten descriptions of the battle, paintings of thebattle, pictures of weaponry, battle statistics, andmusic from the time period.

• Present your findings to the class in a multimediapresentation. Consider adding sound effects toenhance the presentation.

For more about the War of 1812 . . .

STANDARDS-BASED ASSESSMENT

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Foreign Trade, 1800–1812

Source: The Emergence of a NationalEconomy, by Curtis Nettels

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