Overview of the WAR OF 1812 

16 Key Terms

1.       the French Revolution of 1789- France declared bankruptcy; the king was deposed; the people attempted
to introduce liberty, fraternity, equality, and democracy

2.       Napoleon Bonaparte-a military general who rose to power during the French Revolution and invaded
other European countries

3.       Louisiana- a territory from France that was sold to the United States

4.       impressments- forcing sailors to serve for another navvy

5.       American expansion into the Ohio Valley- settlers began expanding west of the Appalachian territories
into Native territories

6.       the Canadian militia-volunteer Canadians who served under British forces

7.       national identity- the belief that you and other people in your country share the same history,
set of beliefs, and other characteristics used to define your nation

8.       propaganda- lies told by the government

9.       jingoism- a fervent belief that your nation is superior to other nations

10.   romanticism- the idealized belief of your nation and the belief that one can only excel 
in your homeland or its culture

11.   stalemate- neither side is able to win enough battles, border  raids that are able to gain territory
or end a war

12.   the War Hawks- a term used by historians to label a group of powerfully influential American politicians
who strongly advocated a war against the British since Canada , Britain’s colony, was vulnerable while the
Britain fought France in Europe

13.   the Rideau Canal- a strategic canal built after the War of 1812 in Bytown (Ottawa) was intended to
carry supplies in the event of a future war

14.   the Lachine Canal- a canal built to bypass the rapids around Montreal, so ships could easily sail up the
St. Lawrence to Lake Ontario or Upper Canada; without canals, things were unloaded from ships and transported
overland to other ships; this was time consuming and costly

15.   Mr. Merrit’s Ditch (the early stages of the Welland Canal System)- the Niagara Region had a series
of canals built transport goods and people from Lake Ontario to the Chippawa River and eventually
the entrance of the Niagara River, because  the Niagara Falls prevented ships sailing up the river to Lake Erie

16.   the Treaty of Ghent- Americans and British representatives signed a treaty in Belgium because
the war had reached a stalemate

Heroes:

1   Tecumseh- a highly respected and key Native leader who was allied with Britain;
he was essential in the Battle of Detroit, and uniting Native forces against the Americans;
he died at the Battle of the Thames or present-day London, Ontario

2.   Sir Isaac Brock- an experienced officer who had a good rapport with Tecumseh and who
also died in the Battle of Queenston Heights

3.   Laura Secord- a woman who took a 23 km journey to warn General Fitzgibbon of an impending
American attack

4.   Charles de Salaberry- a French Canadian officer who led the Volitgeurs who defended
French Canada from American invasions

5.  Richard Pierport- was taken from Senegal to the American colonies; he fought
in the American Revolution against the Patriots and at 68 he offered to train a corps
of Black men in the Niagara region to fight in the War of 1812;
these men were instrumental in the Battle of Fort George and the Battle of Queenston
Heights

12 Major Battles of the War of the 1812 

1.   the Battle of Detroit-the first battle that was largely won using psychological tactics
since the fort was taken by a small group of Canadian militia, Native forces, and British troops

2..   the Battle of Queenston Heights- just south of Newark (modern-day Niagara-on-the-Lake)
a battle took place between American and British forces along the west side of the Niagara River

3.   the Battle of York- American forces crossed Lake Ontario and burned down Fort York
and neighbouring buildings; present-day Toronto was once called York

4.   the Battle of Beaver Dam-  British forces, thanks to Laura Secord, defeated American forces
around present-day St. Catharines and Thorold, Ontario 

5.   the Battle of Crysler’s Farm- British and French Canadian forces stopped a sizeable
invasion of American forces from invading Montreal

6.   the Battle of Lundy’s Lane- British forces suffered casualties and American forces retreated
around present day Niagara Falls

7.   the Battle of Washington- in retaliation to the burning of York, British forces burned down
the White House and attempted to take Baltimore;  the original White House was unpainted
because of the cost of paint; it was later restored and painted white

8.   the Battle of Baltimore- British forces attempted to take Baltimore and Fort McHenry;
the Americans sank their ships at the mouth of the harbour to create a man-made blockade;
the British failed to take the fort and the hail of cannon fire inspired a poet to write the lyrics
that would later become the national anthem for the American people

9.   the Battle of Stoney Creek- British forces defeated the American troops;
the American forces who later retreated at the 40 mile creek (present-day Grimsby)

10.  the Battle of the Châteauguay-took place on 26 October 1813. Canadian troops,
under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles-Michel  Salaberry,
defeated a larger American force

11   the Battle of New Orleans- although the War of 1812 had ended, news had not spread to the
United States; the Americans, nevertheless, defeated the British at this battle

12. the Battle of Plattsburgh-  also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain,
ended the final invasion of the northern states of the United States during the War of 1812

7 Causes of the War of 1812:
1) War Hawks
2) impressments
3) Napoleon
4) over confidence
5) no respect
6) alliances
7) cotton sellers
8) Ohio Valley
6) weapons
7) naval blockade  
Memory Trick: WINONA COWN 

1)        The politically powerful American group known as the ‘War Hawks” advocated the
American congress for war against Britain.
2)        In order to regain sailors, British ships boarded and ‘impressed’
or captured sailors from American ships to serve on British ships.
3)        The British were busy fighting a war with Napoleon in France, so Canada was vulnerable.
4)        America allied with France.
5)        Americans expanded into the Ohio Valley and disrupted native villages. 
The Natives allied with the British in many cases.
6)        The British sold or traded weapons with the Natives.
7)           Although it had declared independence in 1776, England did not respect America’s
sovereignty or independence. (America had declared bankruptcy twice before 1812.)
8)        Some, like Jefferson and Madison,  thought that a war with Canada would be
a ‘mere matter of marching’ and Canada would easily fall. This  was overconfidence.
9)        The British formed a naval blockade, so American ships could not trade with France.
This hurt businesses and trade.
10)      Southern planters could not sell cotton or tobacco to Britain because
there was an embargo or ban placed on American products.

The 13 Effects of the War of 1812 

Memory Trick:
CUDA CARPE DIEM
(Canals Unification Demilitarized Anti Americanism
Capital Assimilation Roads Pride Economic prosperity
Manifest Destiny Independence Expansion Myth-Making)

1)        The capital of Upper Canada moved from York (Toronto) to Bytown (Ottawa),
so the capital would be further from future American attack.
2)        The Rideau Canal was built in case an American attack would cut off the St. Lawrence
and cripple supplies from Lower Canada to Upper Canada.
3)         More roads were built to better move troops, supplies, settlers, and goods across the land.
4)        The Maritimes prospered economically since Halifax became a major center of operations.
5)         English and French colonists were united under a common enemy- America.
6)        American settlers were discouraged from settling in Canada. 
British immigration was promoted.
7)        The border known as the 49th  degree parallel was established which separates
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba from the United States.
  8) The Great Lakes were demilitarized and shared, but Lake Ontario and Lake Champlain
were allowed to keep naval forces to prevent smuggling.
9)        Britain recognized America as independent by stopping impressments.
10)      America focused on expanding westward to their Pacific Coast. 
11)      There was greater nationalistic pride and participation in military campaigns.
12)      Despite great Native contributions, Native groups were assimilated into the military
and the dream of a Native confederacy was overturned.
13)      The Lachine and Welland Canals were built in order to increase supplies and trade.
14)      A great deal of myth making occurred since educators and historians saw the war as
an opportunity to promote nationalism and to create heroes.
15)      The memory of an American invasion lingered well up until the 1860’s and arguably
motivated Canadians to become a nation in 1867.

The Diary of Camp Life at Point Henry, Kingston, May 1813:

We were ordered by General Prevost on the 17th of May to cross over to Point Henry,
where we now occupy tents which we again once more put up in a wilderness of stumps,
fallen trees, boulders, and rocks of all sizes and shapes; sharing our blanket with reptiles of
varied species; carrying out the precepts of the most self-sacrificing charity towards ten million
insects and crawling abominations, the ones more voracious and disgusting than the others.
  Phlebotomized by the mosquitoes, cut and dissected by gnats, blistered by the sand flies,
on the point of being eaten alive by the hungry wood rats as soon as they shall have disposed
of our provisions. Pray for us! Pray for us! Ye pious souls….

Broken down with fatigue, drenched with rain, I enter my tent to find that the birds of the
air have besmirched me with lime; I have no sooner sat on my only camp stool when
a horrid toad springs on to my lap in a most familiar way; I cast my wearied limbs on to
my couch, a slimy snake insists on sharing with me the folds of my blanket, I hastily
retire and leave him in possession.  

 Jacques Viger, a captain in the War of 1812, went on to become Montreal's first mayor in 1833.