War+of+1812

=War of 1812= The War of 1812 officially began June 18, 1812 but the real fighting did not begin until around late 1813. At the beginning of the war America suffered some defeats including those at Fort Detroit, after the failed invasion into Canada, and Fort Dearborn after an attack by Indians. || || Another important naval battle was the battle for harbor of Baltimore where the heroic stand at Fort McHenry occured. In this battle the American troops sunk several ships in the entrance to the harbor that forced the brutal bombardment of the fort. During this whole event a lawyer, aboard a British vessel negotiating the release of prisoners, named Francis Scott Key viewed the scene and wrote the poem The Star Spangled Banner that soon became the national anthem after being put to the tune of a popular drinking song. || ||
 * The War of 1812 was the first and only invasion on American soil in the history of the United States. It was pushed by people like Henry Clay (left) and John Calhoun(right) who were called war hawks by fellow members of congress. Henry Clay became the Speaker of the House in 1811 and he appointed Calhoun to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, positions where they could both display their pro-war stances to maximum effect.
 * They did however win some spectacular naval victories against the then greatest naval force on earth. One of these battles in particular was the Battle of Put-In-Bay where American leader Oliver Hazard Perry dispersed a British Fleet. This enabled a water route to Canada permitting another invasion. The boats that the United States Navy built were frigates, a smaller but fast moving gunboat packed with as many cannons and mortars as possible. This gave America a speedy fleet that lacked durability and defensive stature but a very stong guerilla style naval force.
 * The Treaty of Ghent ended the conflict and was signed on Christmas Eve 1814. The peace talks began before the fighting had even started with John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and Albert Gallatin leading the American delegation. The treaty was followed by a commercial agreement called the Rush-Bagot agreement which provided for mutual disarmament in the Great Lakes and the right for America to trade with much of the British Empire. || [[image:https://mstartzman.pbworks.com/f/1287042438/Signing_of_Treaty_of_Ghent_(1812).jpg width="519" height="263" caption="Signing of the Treaty of Ghent"]] ||
 * The Hartford Convention was a meeting in December 15, 1814, in Hartford, Connecticut, to discuss the status of New England in the United States after talks of possible seccesion. The convention's main accomplishments were reasserting the doctrine of nullification and proposed seven amendments to the Constitution designed to protect New England from the growing influence of the South and West. || [[image:https://mstartzman.pbworks.com/f/1255401736/Hartford%20Convention.jpg width="516" height="341" caption="Political Cartoon on the Hartford Convention"]] ||