Nationalism and �US Foreign Policy, 1807-1823

I. Chesapeake-Leopard Affair (1807)

• British impressment of American sailors recommences
• Forced conscription of sailors by British
• Some 6,000 U.S. citizens impressed by Britain (1808 to 1811)
• The crew of the Leopard pursued, attacked and boarded the American frigate Chesapeake looking for deserters from the Royal Navy, killing 3 Americans

II. Embargo Act

II. Embargo Act, 1807

• Prevented US from engaging in foreign trade
• Federalists -> ☹
• Hurt US economy and Jefferson’s reputation
• Non-Intercourse Act – opened up traded with all nations except Britain and France

III. War of 1812 - Causes

• British impressment of US sailors
• American Embargo
• Macon's Bill #2
• - America dropped its embargo with France
• British supporting/arming Shawnee Confederation
• Battle of Tippecanoe
• Republican War Hawks in Congress– nationalist/expansionist
• Major Issues:
• 1) Nationalism and land hunger
• 2) British impressment
• 3) Indian atrocities
• Despite pleas from New England Federalists, Madison asked Congress for a war declaration on June 18, 1812.

Competing Visions

WAR HAWKS AND THEIR CRITICS

Why did Westerners believe that the British were encouraging Indian violence against Americans?

War Hawks accused British of arming Native Americans and inciting them to attack American settlers.

Critics argued that conflicts with Native Americans resulted from settlers’ encroachment on their lands.

6 Visions of America, A History of the United States

IV. War of 1812

• Regular U.S. army ill-trained, ill-disciplined, and scattered
• Canada was important battleground because British forces were weakest there
• America's offensive strategy failed
• Control of Great Lakes was vital
• American officer Oliver Hazard Perry's victory on Lake Erie infused new life into American cause

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IV. War of 1812

• A second British force of 4,000 landed in Chesapeake Bay area in August 1814.
• Set buildings on fire, including Capitol & White House.
• Americans at Baltimore held firm:
• British hammered Fort McHenry, but unable to take city
• Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner”
• American victory in Battle of New Orleans
• Andrew Jackson becomes national hero
• Treaty of Ghent, signed on Christmas Eve, 1814 was essentially an armistice.

V. Federalist Grievances and the Hartford Convention

• New England extremists proposed secession or at least separate peace with Britain @ Hartford Convention
• Demands reflected Federalist fears that New England was becoming subservient to South & West
• Demanded financial assistance from Washington to compensate for lost trade
• Proposed constitutional amendments requiring 2/3 vote in Congress before an embargo could be imposed, new states admitted, or war declared
• In light of American victories, Federalists were seen as traitors, and never regained political power

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VI. 1812 War - Results

• War of 1812 a small war:
• 6,000 Americans killed or wounded
• Globally unimportant, but war had huge consequences for United States:
• Other nations developed new respect for America's prowess thanks to Perry & Macdonough
• In diplomatic sense, conflict could be called 2^nd War for American Independence

VI. 1812 War - Results

• Sectionalism increased
• Federalists party died (but some ideas were absorbed by Republicans)
• War heroes emerged, Jackson and Harrison, and, both later became president.
• In economic sense, war bred greater U.S. independence through increased manufacturing.

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VII. US & Great Britain after 1812 War

• Rush-Bagot Agreement (1817) – limited naval armaments on Great Lakes
• Treaty of 1818
• Shared fishing rights off Newfoundland
• Joint occupation of Oregon Territory for 10 years
• US-Canada border in LA Territory at 49^th parallel

VIII. Taking Florida

• Spain had difficulty governing Florida b/c of revolts in South America
• Pres. Monroe commissioned Andrew Jackson to stop border raiders
• Jackson attacked Seminoles, drove out Spanish governor, & executed British officers
• Spain feared it would lose Florida, so it agreed to sell it to US in 1819 (Florida Purchase Treaty/Adams-Onis Treaty)

IX. Monroe Doctrine, 1823

• Reaffirmed American neutrality
• U.S. wouldn’t interfere with existing colonies in Western Hemisphere but wouldn’t permit further colonization
• Any attempt by a European nation to colonize any area of the Western Hemisphere would be perceived as an act of aggression against the United States
• It upset Britain (which wanted to issue a statement jointly) and European Monarchs, but it had little immediate impact—much more important in later US foreign policy toward Latin America.

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