Chapter 11 - The War of 1812 and the Age of Jackson

Andrew Jackson

• ^^A self-made man, climbing from poverty to become a Southern planter aristocrat^^
• Military campaign against the Creek Native Americans
• His role in the Battle of New Orleans brought him national fame
• Elected President in 1828
• During the Age of Jackson, he implemented the veto + Native American removal

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War of 1812

• 1812-1814
• James Madison + Congress declared war
• British attacked with 3 major campaigns, but the Americans fought back on all of them
• Destroyed buildings in Washington, DC
• The Treaty of Ghent ended the war with a draw

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Embargo Act

• 1807
• ^^Jefferson and Congress implemented the act to cut off trade with ALL foreign nations^^
• Angered New England Federalists + Yankee traders

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Non-Intercourse Act

• 1809
• Opened trade with foreign countries EXCEPT Britain + France

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Macon’s Bill No. 2

• 1810
• ^^If Britain or France agreed to stop raiding American shipping vessels, the US would reopen trade^^
• When Napoleon stopped attacking American vessels, Madison reopened trade with France
  • Angered Britain

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War Hawks

• Western settlers favored war with Britain
• Believed impressment violated American sovereignty + dignity
• Led by Henry Clay
• Determined to fight for American rights
• Led Congress to declare war

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The Battle of Tippecanoe

• ^^Tecumseh + the Prophet^^ ^^formed a confederacy of Native Americans to stop white migration by using violence against the settlers^^
• In the end, William Henry Harrison (an American general) was victorious

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Impressment

• Britain kidnapped American men + drafted them into British navy
• Resulted in mistaken identities of whether men were British or American
• Violated sovereignty of US

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Battle of the Thames

• Clashes along Great Lakes
• William Henry Harrison + Oliver Hazard Perry moved troops into Canada
• ^^1813 - The death of Tecumseh ended the confederacy of Native Americans^^

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Chesapeake Affair

• HMS Leopard captured the Chesapeake
  • Demanded 4 British deserters
  • When the American captain refused, the ship opened fire + took sailors by force

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Thomas MacDonough

• When Britain invaded US through Lake Champlain, they threatened NYC + New England
• ^^MacDonough utilized a cleverly positioned fleet + clear-headed thinking^^
• After the British surrendered, the US took their supplies

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USS Constitution

• Launched in 1797
• Symbolic protector of Constitution
• Captured 4 British frigates (warships)
• Nicknamed “Old Ironsides” because its sides were made of iron

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Francis Scott Key

• Captured during Battle of Fort McHenry
• ^^Witnessed British invasion through Chesapeake Bay + Baltimore^^
• 1814 - Composed the Star-Spangled Banner

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Battle of New Orleans

• 1815
• The Americans didn’t know Treaty of Ghent was signed, which ended the war
• 2,000 British soldiers killed by American fire
• Made Jackson nationally famous

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Hartford Convention

• Federalists discussing their grievances
• Talked about secession + proposals to send to DC
• ^^After DC was burned + the Federalists heard about Jackson’s victory, the Federalist Party’s power ended because they opposed a war that was already won^^

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Irish Potato Famine

• 1845 - Blight destroyed potato crop in Ireland
• High numbers of Irish immigrated to the US and worked for low factory wages in eastern cities like New York

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Canal Mania

• Transportation revolution
• 1817-1825 - Constructed Erie Canal
• ^^Canals were able to transfer large cargoes + allow people to migrate West + ship grain East^^
• Mike Fink was a flatboat man + folk hero

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New York City

• With the construction of the Erie Canal, NYC became a transit point with oceangoing goods, people, grain, and cotton
• Boasted diversity + wealth + a growing population

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Samuel Slater

• 1789 - Secretly migrated to US
• 1790 - Invented the 1st American textile mill
• ^^Slaves were needed to operate the machines making cotton fabric^^
• Efficient production led to high restriction of slaves’ rights

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Eli Whitney

• 1793 - Invented cotton gin
  • Boasted interchangeable parts, which made it highly efficient
• Basis for modern mass production

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Railroads

• Shrunk the huge space of the US by making transportation easier
• ^^Was able to carry heavy loads + ship goods quickly, benefiting the economy^^
• 1st big business

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Samuel F.B. Morse

• 1835 - Invented the telegraph + Morse code
• Resulted in the communication revolution + different time zones
• Electromagnetism allowed people to send messages over a single continuous wire

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John Jacob Astor

• Was a German immigrant that smoothly transitioned to American society
• Lived frugally, worked diligently, looked for good investments
• ^^1811 - Started a fur trading post at the mouth of Columbia River^^
• Became very rich

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American Indian Removal

• Ignored past Native American treaties
• 1830 - Indian Removal Act
• Cherokee + Creek + Chickasaw + Choctaw + Seminole tribes forced to settle in Oklahoma
• Trail of Tears
• ^^1890 - Placed ALL Native Americans on reservations^^

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BIG PICTURE

• Conflict over trade + encroachment on US → War of 1812

• War of 1812 - US’s lack of preparedness + unity

• Immigration - Irish + Germans filling eastern cities (preparation for Industrial Revolution)

• Transportation + communication revolutions

• Economic growth + westward settlement → Higher living standard + fortunes

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