WAR BETWEEN FRANCE AND BRITAIN

• Beginning July, 1789, France underwent a revolution

• European monarchs watched with alarm as members of the Third Estate forced France's King Louis XVI to move back to Paris to rule as a Constitutional Monarch.

• French war with Austria

• In 1791, Austrian King Leopold and Prussian Frederick William II issued the Declaration of Pillnitz threatening consequences if harm befell King Louis or his family.

• France declared war on Austria in retaliation on April 20, 1792.

• French war with Britain

• On January 21, 1793, the French revolutionary government executed Louis XVI for treason.

• Ten days later (Feb. 1, 1793) France declared war against Britain

• ​Which until that time was neutral, but allied to Spain, Austria and Prussia

• Napoleon

• Became 1st Consul, 1799 and Emperor of France, 1804

• Defeated Russia & Austria (Battle of Austerlitz) in 1805

• Defeated Prussia at Battles of Jena and Auerstedt 1806

• Treaties of Tilsit 1807

• Uneasy peace with Prussia and Russia

• Only Britain was left to fight France

U.S RELATIONS WITH FRANCE AND BRITAIN

U.S. RELATIONS WITH FRANCE

• US had mutual assistance treaty with France

• For helping U.S. against Britain in War of Independence)

• Loopholes:

• US would join France against GB only if Britain was aggressor

• Agreement was made with Louis XVI (who had been killed)

Citizen Genêt

• April 1793, French minister Edmond Genêt came to South Carolina to recruit American privateers (raiders) to seize British ships.

• But US had proclaimed neutrality.

• Washington commanded Genet to stop and go back to France.

• Genet fearful of French Reign of Terror, asked US for political asylum.

U.S. RELATIONS WITH BRITAIN

• Britain blocking trade

• Britain made an effort to block trade to France by neutral vessels (American merchants) carrying grain and livestock to the French West Indies (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Domingue/Haiti)

• Impressment

• From 1793-4 the British seized 600 American vessels (1/2 in West Indies)

• Sailors on these ships were forced ("pressed") into service on British ships

• Because British Royal Navy was short-handed

• British claimed the American seamen were British because they were born in GB.

• Jay's Treaty, 1794

• Washington sent Chief Justice John Jay to Britain to settle issues.

• But Jay was too friendly with British

• British agreed to:

• Compensate Americans whose ships had been seized

• Open some trade in India to Americans

• Evacuate British forts in western US (old promise from 1783)

• Nothing resolved regarding impressment

• Nor about British helping Indians in northwest (see Tecumseh)

• Nor American slaves that had escaped to British Canada.

• Jay's treaty caused uproar among Americans

• Esp. southern Jeffersonian Republicans

PINCKNEY'S TREATY (TREATY OF SAN LORENZO), 1794

• Spain, fearful of U.S.-Br. alliance concluded a treaty with U.S.

• Resolved territorial disputes (see map)

• Granted U.S. ships right to free navigation on Mississippi River

• Duty-free transport through port of New Orleans

• And "right of deposit" - storing and selling exports in New Orleans port.

• Treaty calmed outrage of Americans from Kentucky, Tennessee and Northwest Territory

EMBARGOES

EMBARGO OF 1807

• Forbade American ships to set sail for foreign ports

• Foreign ships had to leave with no cargoes

• All imports and exports prohibited.

• Belief that British and French would give in because of importance of trade in American goods

• Reduced American exports from $108 million to $22 million.

• Hurt U.S. business and traders more than Britain

• Britain found resources in other colonies + smuggling.

NON-INTERCOURSE ACT, 1809

• U.S. opened trade to all European countries except Britain and France.

MACON'S BILL NO. 2, 1810

• Congress modified non-intercourse

• Offered to open commerce with either Britain or France.

• If either of the two stopped disrupting American shipping, the U.S would cut off trade with the other country.

• Pledged U.S would be economic ally to either France or Britain - whichever acted first.

• France (Napoleon) acted first

• Napoleon revoked parts of Continental System that prevented American trade.

• U.S. resumed trade with France

IMPORTATION ACT AGAINST BRITAIN, 1811

• U.S. would no longer buy British goods (which hurt Britain's economy)

• 1812, Britain revoked Orders in Council and ended restrictions on American trade in Europe.

• But too late

• U.S. Congress had already declared war on Britin

CAUSES OF WAR

• Reasons U.S. declared war on Britain

• To punish Britain for destroying U.S. ship U.S.S. Constitution

• Impressment

• Border disputes with Canada (War Hawks wanted to take Canada)

• War Hawks

• Henry Clay (KY) and John C. Calhoun (SC) called for war with G.B.

• British were supporting Indian tribes in West

• Geographical differences in U.S.

• War would hurt New England merchants.

• But Southern and Western farmers wanted war

• They blamed British for clashes with Indians (see Battle of Tippecanoe)

WAR (1812-1814)

1811

• First Bank of U.S. lost charter 1811 - made financing war difficult.

1812

• Madison ordered invasion of Canada (despite weak U.S. military)

• Three directions: from Detroit, Niagara Falls, up Hudson River (all failed)

• Riots in Baltimore Maryland break out in protest of war.

1813

• April, 1813 U.S. capture and burn Canadian city of York (Toronto)

• September, 1813 U.S. Commodore Oliver Perry attacked British fleet on Lake Erie.

• October, 1813 Shawnee Indian Chief Tecumseh (British ally) killed in Battle of Thames.

• Napoleon defeated by Sixth Coalition at Battle of Leipzig, Oct. 181

1814

• April 1814, Napoleon exiled to Elba.

• August, 1814 While fighting taking place in Canada, British enter Washington DC.

• British enter unopposed because of poorly trained U.S. militia.

• Madison flees

• In retaliation for attack on York (Toronto) British burn down White House and Capitol then head to Baltimore, MD.

• September, 1814 British troops bombard Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland

• British lose

• Francis Scott Key writes "Star-Spangled Banner" while aboard a British ship.

• September, 1814 British take control of Lake Champlain and advance on to New York.

• December, 1814 Federalists in New England meet at Hartford, Connecticut to discuss their opposition to the war (see below)

• December 24, 1814 British and Americans sign Treaty of Ghent ending war.

1815

• January 8-18, 1815 Andrew Jackson fights and wins Battle of New Orleans.

• February, 1815 Napoleon escapes from Elba, takes control of France again.

• June, 1815, Napoleon defeated again by Seventh Coalition at Battle of Waterloo

• Exiled to Saint Helena island in Atlantic Ocean.

TREATY OF GHENT (Dec. 1814)

• Ended War

• Napoleon had been defeated

• = End of war between Britain and France

• = No need for impressment or embargoes.

• Restored prewar boundaries

• But no mention of impressment or trade rights (moot point because of end of war in Europe)

BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS (Jan. 1815)

• After war had ended

• British fleet with 7,500 men landed near New Orleans

• Americans under Andrew Jackson defended New Orleans with bales of cotton (absorbed British bullets)

• Created surge in patriotism.

• Americans had won a second "War of Independence" against Br. without help of France.

HARTFORD CONVENTION

(December 15, 1814 – January 5, 1815)

• Federalists in New England badly affected by the disruption of trade during War of 1812

• Met in Hartford, Connecticut to discuss grievances

• Decisions made:

• Radicals of New England threatened to secede from the U.S.

• And sign separate peace with Britain

• Convention attendees wanted to:

• Remove 3/5 clause (which favored Southern slave owners)

• Prohibit trade embargoes lasting over 60 days.

• Limit presidents to one term and be from different state from previous president (to eliminate dominance of Virginia).

• Require 2/3 majority in Congress for:

• Declarations of war

• Laws restricting trade

• Admission of new state

• Hartford Convention was very unpopular.

• Because of patriotism - especially after victory in New Orleans.

• Led to end of Federalist party.

• And Era of Good Feelings after the War of 1812.