The French and Great Britain were at war. France didn’t allow America to trade with Great Britain and Great Britain didn’t allow America trade with France.

British soldiers took American sailors off U.S. ships and put them on their ship to work for them. Western and southern representatives in congress, the most notable Henry Clay of Kentucky, and John Caldwell Calhoun of South Carolina, led a pro- war factor that became known as the "war hawks." The War Hawks were made up of a group of American congressmen who were angry about what the British were doing.

Great Britain and the United States signed a Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814 in Belgium. The Treaty of Ghent was created because the war had become a stalemate, no side was able to advance and win. This ended the war between America and Great Britain. The treaty returned things to the way they were before the war had started. The fighting continued for a few weeks after the treaty was signed. This was because news took two weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean to America. On February 17, 1815 President Madison ratified the Treaty.

The War of 1812 is known as the second war of independence. Once again Britain was trying to rule everything. Even though neither country won, the United States was able to keep England from taking over more land. A peace treaty was signed and things went back the way they were.

For more information:
http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/intro/index.html
 

BACK

Ms. Garrido's Class  |  Mrs. Lebenson's Class
Pocantico Hills School