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The War of 1812

In 1812, the United States and the British went to war, the first time since the Revolutionary War had ended in 1783 with the American victory. There were three main reasons for this second American-British war. First, the British tried to stop Americans from trading with France, with whom Great Britain was at war. The second reason for the War of 1812 concerned impressing (taking by force) U.S. sailors to serve on British ships. Some of these sailors had deserted from the British Navy, but others had not and were American, either by birth or naturalization. The third reason for the War of 1812 was British military support for Native Americans who fought against Americans.

The United States declared war on June 12, 1812. Great Britain blockaded much of the United States coastline. The battles were fought on the American-Canadian border in the Great Lakes region and at sea. Canada was still a colony of Great Britain in 1812 and both Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec) were involved in the War of 1812. Battles were fought and Detroit and part of Maine were won by the British. In 1814, British forces sailed up the Chesapeake to Washington, D.C. and burned the U.S. capitol.

The War of 1812 ended in a stalemate. In December of 1814, the Treaty of Ghent was signed and on Feb 16, 1815, the U.S. Senate approved the treaty. Once the treaty took effect, all territories won in the war were returned to their original owners. The trade restrictions and the impressing of U.S. sailors ended. The big losers were the Native Americans, who no longer received British support and who were unable to resist American expansion westward.

In this mini unit, you can: learn more about the causes of the War of 1812, uncover the history of the Star-Spangled Banner, read an eyewitness account of the burning of Washington D.C., find out how Dolley Madison saved George Washington's portrait right before Washington, D.C. was burned by the British, see where the battles took place, complete a crossword puzzle and take a quiz to test your War of 1812 knowledge.

Reading

Overview of War of 1812

Francis Scott Key

The Burning of Washington D.C.

Dolley Madison on saving George Washington's portrait

Map & Timeline

War of 1812 Atlas

War of 1812 Map

Illustrated Timeline of Events

Multimedia

From Enemy to Ally: An Exhibit

Fun

War of 1812 Crossword Puzzle (PDF)

Projects and Activities

War of 1812 Quiz

Recommended Resource

Flames in the City: A Tale of the War of 1812

The Time Spies pop back to Washington D.C. in the midst of our second battle with the British, the War of 1812. Our nation's capitol is under siege and its citizens--including President James Madison--are forced to flee. But there's more at stake in this battle than the fate of one city. America stands to lose countless historical treasures too, including a great symbol of our independence, the portrait of George Washington. Can the Time Spies help First Lady Dolley Madison rescue George's picture before the British burn the city to the ground?

Author: Candice Ransom
Amazon Price: 4.99