Burning of Washington, D.C.
(Library of Congress Memory Collection)
| Event | Date | Location | Significance | |
| Napolean excludes British goods from "fortress Europe" | 1806 | Europe | American ships caught in middle as British respond with blockade. British seize 1000 U.S. ships, French ca. 500. | |
| British impress American sailors | 1803-1812 | High seas | British captains took over 10,000 American citizens to man ships. | |
| Chesapeake -Leopard fight | June 1807 | 3 miles off Norfolk, Virginia | Chesapeake fired on by Leopard after refusing to be boarded. 3 Americans killed, 18 wounded. | |
| Embargo Act | December 1807 | Washington, D.C. | Jefferson's attempt at "peaceful coercion" resulted in economic disaster for merchants. | |
| War Hawks elected to Congress | 1810 | U.S. | Calhoun, Clay, others bothered by insults to U.S. and Indian presence | |
| Battle of Tippecanoe | 1811 | Ohio River Valley | Tecumseh's brother (the Prophet) led attack on Harrison's army of 1000. | |
| Congress declares "Mr. Madison's War" | June 18, 1812 | Washington, D.C. | Pushed by War Hawks, Madison asked for declaration. All Federalists oppose it. | |
| British capture Ft. Mackinac | August 16, 1812 | Michigan | U.S. lost fort as British invade American territory. | |
| Invasion attempts of Canada | 1812 | U.S.--Canadian border | 3 attempts of U.S. to invade Canada all fail. | |
| Constitution vs. Guerriere | 1812 | Atlantic Ocean | Victory by U.S. ship ("Old Ironsides"). Other privateers captured or burned British ships. | |
| Battle of Frenchtown | January 1813 | Michigan | Kentucky troops repelled by British and Indians in bloody fighting. American survivors killed in Raisin River Massacre. | |
| Battle of York (Toronto) | April 1813 | Toronto, Canada | U.S. troops took control of Great Lakes, burn York. This action later returned by British burning of Washington, D.C. | |
| Battle of Lake Erie | September 1813 | Put-in-Bay | British naval attack repulsed by Capt. Perry. | |
| Battle of Thames | October 1813 | Ontario, Canada | Tecumseh killed in U.S. victory. NW Indians weakened by battle. | |
| Battle of Horseshoe Bend | March 1814 | Mississippi Territory | Andrew Jackson defeated Creek Indians. | |
| British plan 3-part invasion of U.S.: Chesapeake Bay, Lake Champlain, & mouth of Mississippi River | 1814 | British successful in Chesapeake, but fail at Lake Champlain
and at New Orleans |
||
| British burn Washington, D.C. |
August 1814 |
District of Columbia |
Sailing up Patuxent River,
British burn Capitol and White House. Dolley Madison saves Washington's
portrait. |
|
| Battle of Plattsburgh | September 1814 | Lake Champlain | U.S. secured northern border with victory over larger British force. | |
| Hartford Convention | December 15,1814 | Hartford, Connecticut | Group of Federalists discussed secession, propose 7 amendments to protect influence of Northeast states. | |
| Treaty of Ghent | December 24, 1814 | Ghent, Belgium | British and American diplomats agreed on status quo ante bellum | |
| Battle of New Orleans | January 1815 | New Orleans | Jackson's forces defeated British. 700 British killed, 1400 wounded. U.S. losses: 8 killed, 13 wounded |
Please cite this source when appropriate:
Feldmeth, Greg D. "U.S. History Resources"
http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/USHistory.html (31 March 1998).
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