Chapters 12 + 14 American Pageant

what was the state of the american army just before the war of 1812?

ill-trained, ill-disciplined, and widely scattered

had to be supplemented by worse militias (blind leading the blind)

some of the generals were old and senile, since they were from the revolutionary war

why was canada important?

british forces were weakest there → if america won, then the british influence among the indians would have been lost and land for settlers would have grown

what were the british and americans offensive strategies?

america → tried to make a three-pronged invasion from detroit, niagara, and lake champlain (didn’t work)

gb → caputred for michilimackinac and commanded the upper great lakes and the indian inhabited area to the south and west

why was the american navy better than the army?

their craft was more skillfully handled, they had better gunners, and were managed by non-press gangs who had a reason to fight (impressment)

warships had thicker sides, heavier firepower, and larger crews