A Time of Conflict:Chapter 7, Section 1

Political ideas and major events shape how people form governments. As the United States expanded its trade around the world, it faced a

number of foreign challenges.

Freedom of the Seas• Main idea: In the early

1800s, the livelihoods of many Americans depended on foreign trade, but a war between Great Britain and France threatened US shipping and trade.○ Trade, raiding (piracy)

became major issues of international trade

Barbary Pirates• Sailing was dangerous, ships

had to be mindful of pirates off Barbary Coast, who demanded tribute (protection money) from Europeans

• Pirates seized US warship Philadelphia, took it to the Tripoli, captain and crew jailed○ Stephen Decatur (navy

captain) snuck into harbor and burned ship so pirates couldn’t use it

• Result: Tripoli agreed to stop demanding tribute IF the US paid ransom for crew

Neutral Rights Violated• When Britain & France were at

war in 1803, US benefited economically because as long as they stayed neutral, the other countries continued trade & maintained neutral rights (right to sail seas)

• By 1805 Britain decided to blockade the French coast and France decided it would search and seize ships that were trading with Britain

American Sailors Kidnapped• Because the British treated

their sailors in the British Royal Navy so poorly, they searched American ships for deserters and forced many American sailors into impressment

• Sometimes British would wait for Americans outside of American harbors○ Disaster on the Chesapeake, refused impressment, but people killed/wounded

A Disastrous Trade Ban • Jefferson stopped trade with

Britain because of impressment & Chesapeake

• Congress passed Embargo Act which prohibited trade (all imports and exports) with another country, hoping to hurt Britain but avoid war○ Total disaster, wiping out

trade with other nations and proving ineffective against Britain

Jefferson Leaves Office

• Jefferson didn’t want 3rd term, especially after embarrassment of Embargo Act

• James Madison became Republican candidate

• Federalists nominated Charles Pinckney (again…)

• Madison won with 122 electoral votes to Pinckney’s 47

1. How effective was the Embargo Act? Would such an act work today?

2. Describe the negotiations that ended the conflict between the United States and Tripoli.

War Fever

• Main idea: President James Madison struggled with trade issues with France and Britain, as well as with tensions between Native Americans and white settlers. ○ Difficult time for him to

become president■ Embargo crisis!

Impressment! War?

Closer to War• In 1810, Congress passed law

allowing trade with France or Britain--whoever lifted bans first

• Napoleon promised to end trade restrictions but he was actually tricking the administration and the French continued to seize ships

• Madison knew they’d been tricked, but still believed the bigger threat was Britain

Frontier Conflicts• Difficulties with Europe were matched

with difficulties on the frontier• Ohio became official state in 1803 and

settlers continued to move into region○ Tensions with Native Americans

continued to grow• Native Americans made contracts with

British agents/fur trappers in Canada• Tecumseh (Shawnee chief) built

Confederacy with other Native Americans in Northwest○ Thought confederacy would (1) bring

support of British (2) stop white people from moving on land

Tecumseh and the Prophet

• Tecumseh had political skills…○ Viewed US treaties with Native

Americans as worthless as government didn’t have the right to give land away

• Brother, Tenskwatawa, was known as the “Prophet” and he wanted Native Americans to return to customs of their ancestors○ Give up learned practices (clothes,

tools, alcohol, etc.)○ Followers at Prophetstown

A Meeting with Harrison• Indiana governor, William Henry

Harrison feared power of Shawnee brothers (potential alliance w/ Britain)○ Warned them in a letter that there

were too many warriors, and Native Americans could never fight them off

• Tecumseh replied by stating that it was because of the white people that the Natives were united together…the white people gave them the power they had

The Battle of Tippecanoe• Harrison decided to attack

Prophetstown on Tippecanoe River• Prophet’s forces fled area in defeat

○ Proclaimed a victory even though many of Harrison’s troops dead/wounded and even more Native Americans and their towns were destroyed

• Tecumseh fled to Canada where British continued to support Native Americans. Harrison knew he would have to drive the Native Americans and British out of Canada

War Hawks

• Some young republicans from the South and West wanted more aggressive policy toward the British. They became known as the “War Hawks”○ Pressured President

Madison to declare war○ People like Henry Clay and

John C. Calhoun

The Push for War• War Hawks wanted revenge

against British○ New kind of nationalism and

patriotism emerged• Clay & Calhoun led movement

as they sought more “fertile” land in Canada as their own○ Wanted more military

spending but Federalists opposed

Declaring War

• By spring of 1812, Madison knew war was inevitable○ Asked Congress for

declaration of war stating that US needed to maintain “national honor” and end “abuses suffered at hands of British” even though British decided to end impressment policy

1. Was the settlers’ takeover of Native American lands in the Northwest inevitable? Why or why not?

2. Do you think Harrison’s victory at Tippecanoe helped him in his campaign? Why or why not?

3. Why did the War Hawks call for war with Britain?4. Who were the leading War Hawks?5. How did the conflict in Europe help the American shipping

industry prosper?