Problems:

Problems:Problems:Foreign & Foreign & DomesticDomestic

African PiratesAfrican Pirates• AmericanAmerican merchant ships merchant ships

attacked 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 toAmericans advised to keep friendships with nations but avoid their entanglements avoid their entanglements foreign nationsforeign 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 American ships had neutral rights & traded with both rights & traded with both countriescountries▫ France seized & searched

ships trading with Britain▫ Britain blocked French coasts

• Britain Britain impressedimpressed American American sailors sailors to work on British ships▫ British attacked an American

ship, Chesapeake, in 1807

• Many demanded war Many demanded war ▫ ( ( War HawksWar Hawks))

HMS Leopard, attacked the ChesapeakeHMS Leopard, attacked the Chesapeake

Fighting with Britain & Britain & FranceFrance

Impacting Trade• Jefferson did not push for warJefferson did not push for war

▫ “Peaceable coercion” was his terminology

• Congress passed the Congress passed the Embargo Embargo Act of 1807Act of 1807▫ American ships not allowed to

trade to European nations

• The act was a disaster ▫ American farmers & farmers &

merchants merchants lost markets for their products

▫ Lost incomeLost income▫ Many violated the embargo

• Congress Congress eventually repealed repealed itit

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

impressed sailors, and resisted in the west

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

relationships with British 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 FeverWar Fever

• War Hawks pushed War Hawks pushed the president to ask forfor a declaration of war war with Britainwith Britain▫ Led by Henry Clay Led by Henry Clay of

Kentucky & John C. Calhoun & 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 June 1, 1812 – President James Madison asked Congress for declaration of war▫ Congress agreed▫ First time U.S. declared war First time U.S. declared war

on a foreign nationon a foreign nation

Declaration of Declaration of WarWar

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