Week 3 Day 3

The War of 1812 erupts. In 1805, Britain and France were at war amidst Napoleon's empire. At the Battle of Trafalgar, the British beat France, and France tries to employ the Continental System. Basically, both nations were trying to blockade each other, but ultimately Britain was more successful because of the size of its navy. This frustrated the USA, as they were unable to trade with either country because of the various blockades. Even more than that, the British and some of the French were hostile towards American ships, practicing the seizure of boats and impressment of sailors, as exemplified in the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair. Thomas Jefferson, as president, passes the Embargo Act in 1807, an attempt at peaceable coercion. This prevented all American trade with European nations. This badly hurt the U.S. economy, and angered many merchants and sailors, especially those that carried Federalist sentiment. The Embargo Act is repealed by Congress later on, to be replaced by the Non-Intercourse Act in 1809. This was aimed specifically at France and Great Britain. Later came Macon's Bill No. 2, which said that America would side with and trade exclusively with whatever country, Britain or France, that would agree to stop hostile naval practices against American ships. Napoleon immediately accepted these terms, even though his navy wasn't the major threat to the U.S.A. This act really angered Britain, who saw France and America as enemies.

The British then decided to ally with the Indians however they could. Indians began to unite under Tecumsuh and the Prophet, but were ultimately quashed by American forces, notably at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. The War Hawks in America, a new congressional generation, pushed for war because they saw British as the instigator of the Indian-American problem, and wanted land in Canada that a victory over Britain promised. President Madison tried to avoid war as best he could, but once the War Hawks of the Democratic-Republicans gained the majority in Congress, war was declared on Great Britain in 1812.

At first, Britain was focused on defeating France in Europe, but once France was defeated in Russia, Great Britain sent an army to the U.S. in 1814. They burned down the capital building in Washington D.C. and began to target New York and New Orleans, the stronghold of the southern territories. Eventually, peace was announced, even though the Battle of New Orleans, an American victory, was fought 3 months after the treaty was signed. This Treaty of Ghent in 1814 brought back the status quo and peace, and the Napoleonic Wars were resolved as well.

Thus began the Era of Good Feelings, when there was only one political party in existence, as the Federalist party fell apart around 1816. The second bank of the U.S. was created, and Henry Clay developed the American system, featuring a focus transportation and infrastructure reforms. The Great Migration west began, and people saw land as money. However, the value of the land was over speculated, and prices climbed and climbed until they collapsed completely, causing the Panic of 1819 and a subsequent recession.

The Louisiana Purchase was carried out in 1803 by Jefferson, an ironic large exercise of federal power. Lewis and Clark were sent to explore these new territories, and people followed them and began to settle. Eventually, these territories and their people desired to become states, and every single time, the slavery question was raised in each potential state. The Missouri Compromise was released in 1819, stating that all territories above the southern Missouri borderline would be free of slavery, and all states below that would be slave states.

Sorry about the length, ttyl,
Addie Feldman