British seize American sailors
1803-1812 - High seas
British captains take more than 10,000 American citizens to man British 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" results 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, near present day West Lafayette, IN.
Tecumseh's brother (the Prophet) led attack on Harrison's army of 1000.

Congress declares war on Britian.
June 18, 1812 - Washington, D.C.
Pushed by War Hawks, Madison asks for declaration of war. All Federalists oppose it.

Invasion attempts of Canada
1812 - U.S. -- Canadian border
3 attempts to invade all fail.

Constitution vs. Guerrière
1812 - Atlantic Ocean
Victory by U.S. ship -- "Old Ironsides".
Marks the birth of American naval power.
Other privateers captured or burned British ships.

Battle of York (Toronto)
April 1813 - Toronto, Canada
U.S. troops take control of Great Lakes, burn York (Toronto).

See W. H. Harrison letter from Camp Meigs Ohio

Battle of Lake Erie
September 1813 --- Put-in-Bay
Capt. Perry repulses British naval attack.

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 -Washington, D.C
British burn capital buildings, but are turned back at Baltimore harbor.
See Dolley Madison description
See Bristish version

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 discuss secession, propose 7 amendments to protect influence of Northeast states.

Treaty of Ghent
December 24, 1814 - Ghent, Belgium
British and American diplomats agree on status quo ante bellum.

Battle of New Orleans
January 1815 * - New Orleans
Jackson's forces defeat British. 700 British killed, 1400 wounded.
U.S. losses: 8 killed, 13 wounded.
* The war had ended weeks earlier but Jackson had not received word about the Treaty of Ghent.

See Andrew Jackson letter to the Secretary of War.