Unit 2
Causes of the War of 1812
Lesson 3
We will be working together today to gain a brief overview of the War of 1812. This will help us gain some background knowledge before we start our War of 1812 inquiry projects.
The War of 1812 (June 1812 – February 1815)
Was a war fought between the United States and Great Britain.
Citizens of British North America and the First Nations tribes got swept up in the battle defending British territory in BNA.
Britain effectively won the War of 1812 by successfully defending its North American colonies.
A Peace Treaty (Treaty of Ghent) was signed at the end of the war.
For Britain, the war with the U.S. was a secondary matter compared to its life-or-death struggle with Napoleon in Europe.
Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture: Tells the story of Napoleon's fatal attempt to invade Russia in 1812.
Image Analysis: QFT
Battle of Queenston
- Describe what is happening in this image.
This picture appears to be the Battle of Queenston Heights where the Six Nations (First Nations people) supported the British and they held the Americans off and won the battle.
There are soldiers in boats and soldiers on land prepared to fight.
There seems to be cannons shooting across the river.
2. Explain the different types of battles in this scene (land and sea)
There are battles happening in the river between both sides. There are several men in the water and it looks like the boat in the foreground has either been destroyed or capsized.
There are cannons being shot back and forth across the river.
There are soldiers fighting on land marching towards each other.
3. How might the battle affect the nearby homes?
The nearby homes would be at risk for being destroyed during battles.
They could be hit by a cannon or burned down.
The odds are these homes would most likely sustain damage.
4. From whose perspective is this artwork depicted? Explain your thinking.
This could be from the perspective of a civilian watching from a height, perhaps a hill or higher ground.
The view seems to be looking down on the scene make me think it from higher ground.
It doesn’t appear to be from someone in the battle because they are watching the scene which would lead me to believe it is from the perspective of a civilian.
Causes of the War of 1812
On June 18, 1812, United States President James Madison declared war on Great Britain. This declaration posed a great threat to British North America due to their proximity to the United States. There were four main reasons for the War of 1812.
Reason 1: European Port Blockages
For many years, Britain and France had been at war in Europe. Because of this conflict, many European ports were blocked preventing neutral American ships from easily trading their cargo. If the American ships wanted to attempt to gain access to ports, they had to pass through British ships, and gain a licence to continue their travels. Eventually, Britain blocked the American ships from trading with Europe, and this greatly upset the American government.
Reason 2: American Ships Seized and Searched
Britain began a campaign to seize and search American ships to look for British Navy deserters. The pay and working conditions aboard American ships was much better than the British Navy. Many men left the navy to find better jobs on American ships. The British began searching ships for these deserters as well as any other objects they felt should be classified as illegal. In some instances the British tried to take American born citizens to work on their ships.
Reason #3: American War Hawks
A small but vocal group of men in the American Congress pushed for a war with British North America. They felt that British North America was a source of good cheap farmland and feared that a British North American and First Nations alliance was forming. These men thought that the British North Americans were helping the First Nations gain weapons to fight the American westward expansion into their land. It was also thought that British North America would not fight back as they would want to be liberated from Great Britain.
Reason #4: Recognition
Historians now argue that the Americans wanted to assert themselves as a fully independent nation from Britain. Britain was still treating the United States of America like a colony by stopping ships, limiting economic opportunity with port blockages, and preventing western development.