Ch. 12 Apush Notes

Chapter 12 - The Second War for Independence and the Upsurge of Nationalism, 1812-1824

I. On to Canada Over Land and Lakes

II. The War of 1812 – the supreme lesson of this conflict was the folly of leading a divided and apathetic people into war. However, Americans came out of the war with a renewed sense of nationhood.

III. Due to widespread disunity, the War of 1812 ranks as one of America’s worst fought wars.

IV. There was not a burning national anger, like there was after the Chesapeake outrage; the regular army was very bad and scattered and had old, senile generals, and the offensive strategy against Canada was especially poorly conceived.

V. Canada became an important battleground in the war because British forces were weakest there.

VI. Had the Americans captured Montreal, everything west would have wilted like a tree after its trunk has been severed, but the Americans instead focused a three-pronged attack that set out from Detroit, Niagara, and Lake Champlain, all of which were beaten back.

VII. In contrast, the British and Canadians displayed enthusiasm early on in the war and captured the American fort of Michilimackinac, which commanded the upper Great Lakes area (the battle was led by British General Isaac Brock).

VIII. Americans looked for success on the water. The navy did much better than the army.

IX. In comparison to British ships, American craft one the whole were more skillfully handled, had better gunners, and were manned by non-press gang crews.

X. Control of the great lakes was vital

XI. After more land invasions were hurled back in 1813, the Americans, led by Oliver Hazard Perry, built a fleet of green-timbered ships manned by inexperienced men, but still managed to capture a British fleet at lake Erie. His victory, coupled with General William Henry Harrison’s defeat of the British during the Battle of the Thames, helped bring more enthusiasm and increased morale for the war.

XII. In 1814,...