| War of 1812
The American Revolution was, of course, fought between America and Great
Britain. The second war between America and Great Britain was the War
of 1812. Some historians feel that this was an unnecessary war and
that the conflicts between the two countries could have been solved peacefully
if both sides had communicated more effectively.
Tension had been building up between Great Britain and the United States
for several years. The tension was about how the British treated American
sailors, how the British were befriending Native Americans, and also about
trade policies and taxes. When the war ended in December of 1814, the
military fighting stopped, but none of the issues that started the war
had been resolved.
Sample some of the following activities to learn more about the War of
1812.
Places To Go | People To See | Things To Do | Teacher Resources | Bibliography
Places To Go
The following are places to go (some real and some virtual) to find out
about the War of 1812.
Fort
McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
Take a virtual tour of Fort McHenry in Maryland and learn about this historic
fort's role as birthplace of our national
anthem. Francis Scott Key was an American attorney. During the War
of 1812, he boarded a British ship to negotiate the release of an American
who had been captured. The British detained him on their ship, and during
the night, Francis
Scott Key watched as the British bombarded Fort Henry on the shore.
The fort withstood the attack, and in the morning as Francis Scott Key
was being taken back to shore, he wrote the words to the Star
Spangled Banner.
White House
Take a tour of the White House. The British burned the White House in
1814 during the War of 1812, and President James Madison and his wife,
Dolly, had to move out. It was, of course, later rebuilt.
Old Fort Niagara
Travel to Old Fort Niagra in upstate New York. It is one of the oldest
standing pieces of military architecture in North America. It was captured
by the British in 1813 during the War of 1812.
U.S.S.
Constitution
Sail on the U.S.S. Constitution, the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S.
Navy. She was first put to sea in 1798, and was active in the War of 1812.
Find out how this ship got the nickname, Old Ironsides.
People To See
Life
of Thomas Jefferson
Chat with Thomas Jefferson. He was the president of the United States
during the first part of the War of 1812. He unsuccessfully tried to achieve
a peaceful settlement with the British.
James
Madison
Talk with James Madison. He was the president during the last part of
the War of 1812.
Napoleon
Bonaparte
Meet famous Napoleon Bonaparte. Find out what his role was in the War
of 1812 between England and the U.S.
Andrew
Jackson
Visit with Andrew Jackson. He was a general in he War of 1812 and defeated
the British at the Battle of Orleans. He later became the 7th president
of the United States.
Tecumseh
Meet Tecumseh,
the great Shawnee chief. He was a friend to the British. He tried to unite
the Native American tribes in the Indiana territory into a single, strong
alliance. He felt that the Native Americans needed to stand together to
stop the increasing flow of white settlers. He organized many attacks
against American settlements, and Great Britain encouraged him to continue
the aggression. The relationship between Great Britain and Native Americans
was one of the reasons for the War of 1812.
William
Henry Harrison
Meet William Henry Harrison. He was governor of the Indiana Territory.
He took several hundred American troops and camped out near Tippecanoe
Creek. Tecumseh had a brother who was known as Prophet, and his large
village was across the creek. Prophet and his warriors attacked the troops
but were badly defeated, and their village was burned. In the War of 1812,
William Henry Harrison was a military commander who fought at the Battle
of Thames and defeated the British forces there which were heavily supplemented
with Native American fighters. Tecumseh was killed at this battle. William
Henry Harrison went on to become president of the United States and used
his success at Tippecanoe Creek in his campaign.
Things To Do
War
of 1812
See a chart of the British regiments that were involved in the war and
take a War of 1812 quiz.
War of 1812 Homepage
Learn about the Battle of Stoney Creek, the Battle of Lake Erie, the burning
of Newark, and many other strategic parts of the war.
The
War of 1812
Learn about the major battles in the war.
Napoleonic
Wars
The War of 1812 between England and the United States was partly a result
of ill feelings on the part of the U.S. about how England treated neutral
countries during the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1814. Find out more.
Battle
of New Orleans
Learn about the Battle of New Orleans. It was an unnecessary battle. The
United States and England had signed the Treaty of Ghent in Europe in
December of 1814, ending the War of 1812. However, the news did not reach
the United States in time to stop this battle which took place in January
of 1815. Have students contrast these slow commications of the War of
1812 to the Gulf War of 1996 where communications were so prompt and the
news media so informed that it caused problems for the American troops.
War of
1812-1814
Learn about the relationship between Britain and American Indians. Great
Britain wanted to claim territory in the Ohio Valley, in Kentucky, and
in other sections of undeveloped land. This would allow England to stay
involved with the profitable fur trade and also make it easier to keep
in touch with the Native Americans of the area who allied themselves with
England. So Great Britain attempted to discourage Americans from settling
in these areas. To do this, they encouraged Native American tribes in
the area to harrass and attack American settlers. These attacks upset
Americans and further led to bad feelings between the two countries and
were a contributing factor to the War of 1812.
Second
War with England
President James Madison laid before Congress a detailed report, showing
6,057 instances in which the British had "impressed" American citizens.
This was one of the major factors in the U.S. declaring war on Great Britain.
Find out what "impressed" means in this context.
War of 1812 Thinkquest
Look at the events of the War of 1812 chronologically.
Star-Spangled
Banner and the War of 1812
Check out this resource from the Smithsonian Institute that tells the
story of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and the War of 1812. This
resource describes events leading up to the September 14, 1814, battle
between Great Britain and the United States.
Teacher Resources
Oh, Say, Can You See What the Star-Spangled Banner Means?
This unit on "The Star-Spangled Banner" is has several lessons to help students learn about when it was written, how it became popular, and what events have contributed to what Americans think of their flag.
President Madison's 1812 War Message
Three detailed lessons take students through James Madison's view of the war of 1812, the events that lead up to it, and how it shaped patriotism in the United States.
Saving History - Dolly Madison, the White House, and the War of 1812
Using primary resources, students will learn about Dolley Madison's actions during the War of 1812, the evolultion of the role of the first lady, and what it was like in Washington D.C. during the war.
Fort McHenry: Teacher Resources
Here you will find several lessons and activities for students of grades 4-12. Many of these lessons are based on Maryland's Core Standards, but can be adjusted to help teach history.
The Burning of Washington
This collection of photographs, paintings, and historical information provides an excellent resource for teachers teaching America's history.
A Guide to the War of 1812
The Library of Congress has compiled an extensive list of resouces in the government archives to help learn about the war of 1812.
Bibliography
- Carter, Alden R. The War of 1812 : Second Fight for Independence.
New York : F. Watts, c1992.
- Gay, Kathlyn. War of 1812. New York : Twenty-First Century Books,
1995.
- Katcher, Philip R.The American War, 1812-1814. London : Osprey, 1990.
- Nardo, Don. The War of 1812.San Diego, Calif. : Lucent Books, 1999.
- Nardo, Don. The War of 1812. San Diego, CA : Lucent Books, c1991.
- Rutland, Robert Allen. The Presidency of James Madison. Lawrence,
Kan. : University Press of Kansas, c1990.
- Stein, R. Conrad. The Story of the Burning of Washington. Chicago
: Childrens Press,1985.
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