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Jefferson's Second Term & Challenges
Teddy Roosevelt's second term might not have been as good as his first.
Jefferson's second term was considered awful because of issues with Britain and France.
The United States Caught Between Britain and France
Britain and France were at war again, putting America in a difficult position.
America was like a child in a custody battle between divorcing parents.
America remained neutral and attempted to trade with both countries.
Both Britain and France attacked American ships to prevent goods from reaching their enemy.
American ships were attacked, sunk, and cargo was destroyed or stolen.
Americans were dying, leading to demands for action from Jefferson.
The Chesapeake Incident
The Chesapeake incident was the final straw for Americans.
The Chesapeake was an American ship sailing off the coast of Virginia.
A British warship, the Leopard, approached the Chesapeake in American waters.
The British captain requested permission to board the ship to search for deserters.
The American captain refused, stating there were no British deserters on board.
The British captain opened fire on the Chesapeake, killing three Americans and kidnapping four others.
The Chesapeake incident infuriated Americans and led to demands for action from Jefferson.
Jefferson's Response: The Embargo Act of 1807
Jefferson couldn't respond militarily due to America's weak army and navy.
Jefferson urged Congress to pass the Embargo Act of 1807, which blocked American ships from traveling to foreign ports and foreign ships from entering American ports.
The Embargo Act effectively stopped trade and had severe economic consequences for America.
American ships rotted in harbors, and trade goods spoiled.
The Embargo Act created an economic depression in the United States.
Jefferson hoped Britain and France would crumble within months due to their dependence on American food and would be forced to respect America. He aimed to "starve them into submission."
Wealthy people in Britain and France were always able to obtain food, while poor and working-class people suffered.
The embargo also affected slaves in British and French colonies.
Britain and France showed no signs of changing their ways.
The American unemployment rate skyrocketed, impacting ship captains, sailors, farmers, and merchants.
Smuggling became rampant.
The Non-Intercourse Act
Jefferson realized the Embargo Act was a mistake and replaced it with the Non-Intercourse Act.
The Non-Intercourse Act prohibited trade with Britain and France alone, targeting only those two countries.
Jefferson left the presidency unpopular due to the bad economy and was blamed for his policies.
Madison's Presidency and Macon's Bill Number Two
James Madison, Jefferson's handpicked successor, was elected as the fourth president.
The Federalist Party made a slight comeback due to the bad economy, but they still couldn't win the presidency.
Madison knew Jefferson had damaged the economy with his policies.
Madison announced Macon's Bill Number Two, which temporarily lifted the Non-Intercourse Act.
America would trade with Britain and France again and wanted them to get a taste of American products.
Whichever country promised to respect American trade would have the Non-Intercourse Act enforced against the other country.
Napoleon saw an opportunity and announced that France would respect American trade, though he had no intention of doing so.
Madison was in an awkward position but had to reinstate the Non-Intercourse Act against Britain.
The British had no respect for James Madison, whom they nicknamed "Little Jimmy."
The British didn't believe Madison would put the Non-Intercourse Act back on them.
Madison gave Britain several months to comply, but they did not. He was not bluffing.
The end result of Macon's Bill was that America was trading with France but not with Britain.
This set America on a collision course with Britain and laid the groundwork for the War of 1812.
Shipping and trade issues were a major cause of the conflict with Britain.
Issues with Native Americans
Another issue leading to the war was conflicts with Native Americans.
American settlers were moving west into the Indiana Territory and being attacked by Native American tribes.
The United States suspected that the British in Canada were arming these Native Americans.
The Pan-Indian Resistance Movement
The Pan-Indian Resistance Movement was led by two Shawnee brothers, Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa (the Prophet).
They sought to unite various tribes to resist white encroachment on their lands.
Tecumseh was the political leader of the movement who recruited young warriors from different tribes.
Tenskwatawa, known as the Prophet, was the religious leader of the movement.
The headquarters of the movement was a village called Prophetstown.
William Henry Harrison and the Battle of Tippecanoe
William Henry Harrison, the governor of the Indiana Territory and a general, saw the growing Native American movement as a threat.
Harrison marched 900 troops toward Prophetstown, intending to provoke an attack and justify a military response.
Tecumseh left Prophetstown on a recruiting mission and instructed his brother, the Prophet, not to fight while he was gone.
Native Americans spotted Harrison's army camping nearby and reported it to the Prophet.
The prophet cast a “bulletproof spell” on the warriors, leading them to believe that they were immune to bullets.
The Prophet ordered an attack on Harrison's forces, leading to the Battle of Tippecanoe.
The Native American attack initially caught Harrison off guard, but they were ultimately defeated when they realized they were not bulletproof.
Harrison's troops drove off the natives and burned Prophetstown to the ground.
The battle was a huge blow to the Native American movement, and Tecumseh was furious with his brother.
After the battle of Tippecanoe, Tecumseh sought an alliance with the British.
The Prophet's Curse
After the battle, Tecumseh cursed Harrison.
Harrison was elected president in 1840 and died in office shortly after.
A curse was placed on presidents elected every 20 years.
Abraham Lincoln (1860), James Garfield (1880), William McKinley (1900), Warren Harding (1920), Franklin Roosevelt (1940), and John Kennedy (1960) all died in office or were assassinated. Ronald Reagan (1980) survived an assassination attempt. George W. Bush (2000) & Joe Biden (2020) survived.
The War of 1812
Madison sought a declaration of war against Britain, framing it as a second American revolution.
The War of 1812 was the result of trade and shipping issues, as well as British support for Native Americans.
The United States was ill-prepared for the war, and it was ill-equipped to fight.
The U.S. had only 7,000 troops vs. the worlds best trained army & only 7 warships. (ships with guns)
Britain was still fighting France at the same time.
The U.S. launched three failed invasions of Canada and lost Detroit and Fort Dearborn (Chicago) to the British.
Madison's Re-election
Madison was re-elected president in 1812, despite the war not going well.
The New England states opposed the war and called it "Mr. Madison's War."
The Burning of Washington D.C.
One of the darkest moments of the war was when the British attacked and burned Washington D.C.
British generals bragged about capturing the president and his wife, Dolly Madison.
Madison met with the American militia before the British invasion, but he was sent home for not being helpful.
The British forces smashed into American troops, and the American troops fled.
Dolly Madison saved a painting of George Washington and had servants pack up dishes before fleeing the White House.
The British ate the dinner that had been prepared for the Madisons and took souvenirs, such as Madison's hat and Dolly Madison's seat cushion.
The British set fire to the White House and other public buildings.
A freak rainstorm put out the fires, saving the President's Mansion from being fully destroyed.
The Battle of Baltimore and the Star Spangled Banner
The British attacked Baltimore after burning Washington D.C.
Fighting at Baltimore commenced between land forces & naval forces firing at the local fortress.
An American (Francis Scott Key)was on a ship to negotiate a prisoner exchange.
An American attorney, Francis Scott Key, witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry and was inspired to write the Star Spangled Banner.
Baltimore held, and the British were defeated.
The Star Spangled Banner later became the American national anthem.
The Treaty of Ghent
The War of 1812 lasted for two and a half years, and neither side felt like they were winning.
Britain's focus on Napoleon shifted to America, they still didn't fare too well.
Both sides agreed to stop fighting and signed the Treaty of Ghent (Gaunt).
The treaty resulted in "status quo ante bellum," meaning things returned to the way they were before the war.
Nobody gained anything from the war.
Consequences of the War
The war changed how Americans felt about themselves in the world. It created a growing sense of swagger and pride.
It led to a mood of national confidence, Andrew Jackson became a massive political figure.
The war led to the rise of Andrew Jackson, who became a popular military hero, and this created a presidency for Jackson.
Jackson grew up in poverty in Tennessee and became a self-made rich man, elected as General of the militia.
Jackson became a known leader by the voters for his work and skill in engaging battles.