Origins of War of 1812
1803 May 18 - Napoleon renews war on England
 | U.S. becomes most important neutral carrier |
| French & Spanish West Indies opened to U.S. |
| but this violated Rule of 1756
 | trade closed in peace not open in war |
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1803 May - Essex case
| Barcelona to Salem to Havana = "broken voyage" |
| significance:
| ended U.S.-Brit. rapprochement (no Rufus King) |
| Brit. blockade begins (Leander kills John Pierce) |
| Congress retaliates with nonimportation act |
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1805 Oct. 21 - Nelson defeats France at Trafalgar
1805 Dec. 2 - Napoleon defeats Austria & Russia at Austerlitz
1806 Dec. 31 - Monroe-Pinkney pact fails
1806 May 16 - Brit proclaims Europe blockade
1806 Nov. 21 - Berlin Decree begins Continental System
1807 Jan. 7 - Order in Council closes Europe ports 1807 June 22 - Chesapeake vs.
Leopard
| Capt. Barron unprepared; no loggerheads |
| 3 killed, 4 impressed |
| Brit. board the Caravan in Macao |
1807 July 2 - Jefferson responds:
| special session of Congress |
| closed U.S. waters |
| recall Med. Squadron |
| ready gunboats, 7 coastal forts |
| 100,000 militia; "we will take Canada" |
1807 Dec. 14 - Nonimportation Act
1807 Dec. 22 - Embargo Act
| "peaceful coercion ... a successful failure" |
| exports drop $108m. to $22m. |
| imports drop $138m to $56m. |
| coastal trade bonded; whalers exempt |
| amend. allows return "ballast" (800 ships) |
| states allowed to license flour shipping |
| special presidential exemptions (Astor) |
1808 Apr. 17 - Bayonne Decree
| assumed any U.S. ship violated Embargo |
1809 Mar. 1 - Nonintercourse Act
| exports OK, but not to Brit or France |
1809 Mar. 4 - Madison inauguration
| but Repub divided: Randolph, Clinton |
1809 Apr. 19 - Erskine affair
| but Canning demands Rule of 1756 |
1809 June 10 - Madison's 1st blunder
| ends nonintercourse with Brit prematurely |
| reimposed 2 months later |
1810 Mar. 23 - Rambouillet Decree
| France seizes U.S. ships in French ports |
1810 May 1 - Macons Bill No. 2
| Congress restores trade, but if Brit or France revoked decrees, U.S. to halt trade with
the other |
1810 Aug. 5 - Cadore letter
| France agrees to Macons Bill, but with nullifying string that Brit would also revoke |
1810 Nov. 2 - Madison accepts France offer
| nonintercourse with Brit in 3 months |
| but Brit does not revoke decrees = impasse |
1811 Feb. 1 - Wm. Pinkney recalled from London
| Madison fears war is inevitable |
1811 Mar. 10 - Henry letters
| showed New England plot with Canada |
1811 May 16 - Little Belt incident
| USS President fires on HMS Little Belt |
1811 June 1 - Foster begins change in Brit policy
| pays Chesapeake claims |
1811 Nov. 7 - Battle of Tippecanoe
| Harrison negotiations fail Nov. 6 with Tenskwatawa (Prophet) |
| Prophet promises warriors that white man's bullets will not harm them, and attacks
Harrison's camp (Fort Harrison) in early morning; Harrison awakens and hastily mounts the
horse of his aide in front of his tent; Indians attack tent with Harrison's gray mare tied
outside and kill the aide, but Hrrison on the aide's horse leads army to repel the Indian
attacks. |
| finds Brit arms on the Wabash and burns Prophetstown |
| Tecumseh web page |
1811 Nov. 4 - 12th Congress convenes
| rise of the War Hawks led by Clay |
| vote to increase Army (not Navy), tariff, direct taxes |
1812 Apr. 4 - 90-day embargo begins
1812 May 11 - PM Perceval killed; new PM Liverpool
| Castlereagh repeal decrees June 16 |
1812 June-Oct. - Napoleon invades Russia with 600,000
1812 June 1 - Madison war message to Congress
- impressment
- ships stopped off U.S. ports
- blockade
- Brit Orders in Council
- Indians
1812 June 4 - House passed war bill 79-49
1812 June 17 - Senate passed war bill 19-13
1812 June 18 - Madison signed war bill
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