Chapter 12

The Second War for Independence and the Upsurge of Nationalism

1812 - 1824

Chapter 12

The Second War for Independence and the Upsurge of Nationalism

1812 - 1824

War of 1812

• BR also fighting Nap.• Mr. Madison’s War

– Country divided; army weak– 2nd War for Independence

• Lake Erie battle: 1813, “We have met the enemy & they are ours!” – Perry– Victory allowed U.S. to invade Canada– This victory over the British provided morale for the Americans, then BR

are beaten at Battle of the Thames (where Tecumseh is killed)• Plattsburgh: 1814; MacDonough stopped BR invasion of NY

(BR forced to retreat)• “gerrymandering”- VP Elbridge Gerry carved MASS into

election districts that favored his party. Opponents said districts were shaped like wriggling salamanders (gerrymander)

This 1865 painting by William H. Powell shows Perry transferring to a different ship during the battle of Lake Erie

War of 1812• Washington burned: 1814; We burned Canada’s

first, York (Toronto)• Ft. McHenry: (as DC is burning) Americans

defending Ft. McHenry in Baltimore; “Star-Spangled banner, Francis Scott Key, 1813

• New Orleans victory: Jackson met BR army of 10,000 troops– AJ lost 13 men (70 casualties) & BR lost 2,000– Actually happened 2 weeks AFTER Treaty of Ghent– Made AJ a HERO– Lafitte offered 30,000 lbs. & captaincy in Royal BR Navy

or full pardon• Naval duels • The “Constitution”: “Old Ironsides” & the

Guerriere (BR): raised the importance of our navy in eyes of other countries

• “John Bull”

An artist's rendering of the battle at Fort McHenry, where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write "The Star Spangled Banner".

USS Constitution defeats HMS Guerriere; a significant event during the war

Treaty of Ghent• Belgium; brokered by Tsar Alexander of Russia

– Trying to keep BR strong b/c they were his ally

• Results: status quo (made no mention of issues of why we went to war-impressements, blockade, etc.)

• * stalemate – no gain for either side• * armistice – cease fire, return conquered territory

Hartford Convention• 1814-1815 – NE Federalists still

sympathetic to BR, had prospered during the war

• Goals: Moderates prevail over secession talk– Amendments proposed to cripple Republican power– 1 term each for Prez– No Prez from consecutive state (VA)– End 3/5’s Compromise– Paid for losses

• Results: Federalist Party thought to be disloyal– Death of the Federalist Party when rest of U.S. is so patriotic

and optimistic

• Rush – Bagot Agreement: 1817; Limited fleets on Great Lakes & demilitarized border w/Canada (where many BR navy supplies and forts remained)– Laid the basis for improving relations b/w U.S. and BR

(lessened tensions)

• Heritage: Uncle Sam, Old Ironsides, White House, National Anthem

War’s Legacy• Political and economic independence from GB• Respect from other nations• Nationalism in Canada & U.S.

– America comes out of war UNIFIED and stronger• Weakening of Indian tribes (those allied w/GB)

– Have to surrender more lands• Encouraged domestic industry (b/c of BR blockade, less

dependence on BR factories)• Emergence of war heroes & regional leaders

– AJ & WHH– Calhoun (S); Webster (N); Clay (W)

• Revival of the U.S. Bank (passed by Congress in 1816)• Federalist Party dies [after 1816 Pres. election] b/c of

sectionalism• Precedent of nullification & secession (New England)

– Later used by the South• Decatur - “Our country, right or wrong!”

The American System• British “dumping” – merchants begin

emptying their warehouses at discounted prices to stop new American industries from taking over the markets

• Tariff of 1816: Protected tariff of N. Eng. industry (20%-25%)– First tariff for PROTECTION, not revenue– Nat’l financing of transportation systems (Ex: Erie

Canal)• Steamboat

The American System

• Clay: The American System– A system of internal improvements in transportation would tie the Union

together.– Protective tariff would promote industrial self-sufficiency. – Mills in the NE would use Southern cotton workers would wear

cotton garments and eat western beef and grains.– Sale of more cotton and food would enable the South and West to buy

more textiles and tools from the East.– Tariff revenues would aid in the constructions of internal improvements

to tie the sections economically. Reactions:– Southerners hated the tariff because it prevented the purchase of low-

cost British finished products.– Westerners opposed the national bank because they liked the easy

credit of state banks.– Easterners disliked federal expenditures for internal improvements.

The American System• * infrastructure

• * Bonus Bill: Would have allotted $1.5 mil for internal improvements– Opposed by states and D-R as unconstitutional– Madison vetoed it, 1816, forcing states to build

own infrastructure– **N. Eng area against this b/c of fear of people

moving West & their loss of power in House

Cultural Nationalism• Parson Weems: Cherry tree, Glorified GW

• Webster’s Speller: Noah, 1783 best seller

Election of 1816•1816 -1820: “Era of Good feelings”•Results: Monroe elected

•All electoral votes but 1 in 1820•Political conflict virtually disappears

•End of the VA dynasty •misnomer: Economic depression

•Resurgence of sectionalism; political realignment; sale of public lands; slavery; internal improvements; tariff

Panic of 1819• 1st depression: Lasted 3 yrs., caused by excessive land speculation in the W and unstable banks

(wildcat)• * liquidate debts: Selling assets• * “wildcat” banks – BUS forced wildcat banks to foreclose on mortgages of western farmers

– Results: cotton prices fall, hurts S farmers, W farmers blamed for 2nd Bank for tightening money supply

A Growing West -Why? Immigrants, cheap land & transportation, new lands are safe (Indians defeated)•Land Act of 1820: Reduced price to $1.25 per acre* “Butternuts”: S farmers resettling in the old NW

Slavery and Sectional Balance

• **Slave trade ended in 1808• Tallmadge Amendment: (to stop MO from coming in

as a slave state) No more slaves in MO & for eventual emancipation of slave children at age 25– Defeated in the Senate

• Missouri Compromise: Clay (Great Compromiser)– 1820: MO -slave state & ME – free– 36 30’– Otherwise, upset balance of 11 & 11– Just postpones the debate!

• * “peculiar institution”: slavery• “firebell in the night”: TJ’s warning

about slavery threatening the Union

Slavery and Sectional Balance

Judicial Nationalism• Marshall followed HAMILTON’S ideas

– Strong central gov’t; wealthy– Deplored democratic excesses & opposed open suffrage &

rule of the masses• Supreme Court Cases

– Fletcher v. Peck (1810): state laws cannot impair contracts; S.C. can invalidate state laws that interfere with the Constitution

– McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): implied powers, strengthens federal authority by limiting states’ power (fed’l laws are supreme over state laws)

• defended federal power by denying a state the right to tax a federal bank

– Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819): charters & businesses are protected from domination by state gov’ts

• Daniel Webster successfully argued that a state could not change a legal charter once granted

– Gibbons v. Ogden (1821): Congress alone can regulate insterstate commerce (limits state powers)

– Cohens v. Virginia (1821): S.C. can review state s.c. decisions in all matters concerning fed’l gov’t

**The S.C. under C.J. Marshall upheld a powerful nat’l gov’t and conservative defense of property rights. The rulings checked the general mov’t towards states’ rights and popular democracy.

Nationalist Foreign Policy• Treaty of 1818: Anglo-American Treaty

– BR & US– Joint fishing rights @ Newfoundland– Defined border of CAN & ORE (10 yrs)

• Joint occupation– LA Territory at 49th parallel from Lake of the Woods to

Rocky Mountains• Florida• Jackson’s disobedience: Pursued “outlaw” Seminoles into FLO

(1818)– SP troops had to leave FL to stop other revolutions in SAmerica– Jackson did not follow orders & exceeded his instructions from

Monroe• Administration reactions: Support of Secretary of State JQ Adams• Adams-Onis Treaty: Transcontinental Treaty, Florida Purchase

– SP cedes E. Florida to US for $5 mil– Defines boundary between LA & SP territories (map pg. 254)– US gave up claims to TX & SP dropped claims to ORE

• Why does Spain sell? SP more worried about colonies in L. America

Nationalist Foreign Policy• Monroe Doctrine – more aggressive foreign policy b/c of fears of European

intervention in L. America• G. Canning: (BR) Wanted joint declaration w/US to intervene in L. America,

warn other European powers to stay out (wanted to secure part of L. America trade for BR)– BR concerned America would seize more SP territory & threaten their own

Caribbean holdings• John Q. Adams: Nationalistic Sec. of State

– Convinced Monroe to warn European powers

• U.S. warnings: Non-colonization, non-intervention, & non-interference• Effect abroad? No standing in international law• Russo-American Treaty: Russia dropped claim to ORE & agreed to

boundary of 54 40’

Nationalist Foreign Policy• IDENTIFY: *gerrymandering [defined earlier!]

– Arranging the political divisions of a state, country, etc. to give one political party an unfair advantage in elections

**Look at political cartoons in the chapters!