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Jefferson Negotiates the Louisiana Purchase with France
The Louisiana was an accidental by-product of European political adjustments and the whim of Napoleon Bonaparte. Jefferson had concerns about Napoleon controlling North America, like how he was currently taking over a majority of a Europe. While Napoleon was busy with the war in Saint Domingue, the French decided to sell the Louisiana Territory for 5 million dollars, increasing the size of the United States. -
Berlin Decree/ Orders of Council and The Milan Decree
The Berlin Decree established Napoleon’s Continental System, which ignored U.S. neutral rights by designating ships that visited British ports as enemy vessels. The British responded with Orders in Council that required neutral ships to obtain licenses at English ports before trading with France. France announced the Milan Decree, which strengthened the Berlin Decree by having the capture of any neutral vessel that had submitted to search by the British. These disagreemnts lead up to the war. -
Madison in Power
Madison was more conscientious in the performance of his duties and more consistent in adhering to his principles. Ideologically, however, they were as close as two active and intelligent people could be. Madison had no better solution to offer for the problem of the hour than had Jefferson. The Embargo Act had failed and its successor, the NonIntercourse Acts, proved difficult to enforce. The British continued to seize American vessels. -
Battle of Tippecanoe
Indian confederation begins to form. The prohet leads conferderation into battle against Gen William Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe and is crushed. -
America declares War on Britain
President James Madison signed a declaration of war against Great Britain, marking the beginning of the War of 1812. Frustrated by Britain’s maritime practices and support of Native American resistance to western expansion, the U.S. entered the war with ambitious plans to conquer Canada, a goal that was never realized. -
The Battle of Baltimore
The British, aiming to take control of the port city Baltimore, planned a sea and land invasion. The city was an obvious target, as it offered commercial advancements for the British, and had been in open riot against British since the declaration of the war. Baltimore accounted for more than 30 percent of British ships captured during the war. The Battle of Baltimore was significant because it marked the first victory against the British in the War of 1812, and rallied American moral. -
War On Lake Erie
American Oliver Hazard Perry’s Lake Erie ships won a great victory off Put-in-Bay on September 10, 1813, against Capt. Robert Barclay. The battle opened the way for Harrison to retake Detroit and defeat British and Indian forces at the Battle of the Thames. The Battle of Lake Erie forced the British to abandon Detroit, ensuring U.S. control over Lake Erie and the territorial northwest. -
The Attack on Washington D.C
Main British troops began assembling in Canada. The troops marched rapidly toward Washington. At Bladensburg, on the outskirts of the city, they came upon an army twice their number, commanded by General William H. Winder, a Baltimore lawyer who had already been captured and released by the British in the Canadian fighting. While President Madison and other officials watched, the British charged-and Winder's army turned tail almost without firing a shot. -
Treaty of Ghent
On December 24, 1814 in Ghent, Belgium the Treaty of Ghent was signed. Although the treaty did state much besides proclaiming that the fighting was over it did open up the Great Lakes to US exploitation. -
The Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans was fought on January 8, 1815 between British troops led by General Edward Pakenham and American forces led by General Andrew Jackson. Despite being outnumbered 2:1, the Americans won against the British assault. Ironically, the Treaty of Ghent was signed two weeks earlier but no one in New Orleans knew about the "status quo ante bellum" which meant there was was no new land being acquired on either side.
