History 2
Madison, Monroe, and the War of 1812
The presidency of James Madison and James Monroe were framed by the War of 1812 (June 1812-December1814) and the Era of Good Feelings (1816-1823), respectively.
Madison, though trying to avoid war with Britain, was faced with another war on American soil. Whereas the previous war was over American independence, this war was over the United States’ right to neutrality.
Monroe, who was elected after the war, was faced with the challenge of expanding US infrastructure and influence across their hemisphere.
Madison Presidency (1809-1817)
Madison had a fairly impressive resume before even becoming President. He is commonly referred to as the “Father of the Constitution” due to his work on drafting the Amendments, the Federalist Papers, and negotiating the structure of the constitution proper.
He also served as the Secretary of State and a member of the House of Representatives.
Though he helped to publish the Federalist Papers and worked closely with the Washington Administration, he was in fact a Democratic-Republican.
Madison Presidency (1809-1817)
Looking to open up more territory for settlement in the Northwest territory, Indiana governor William Henry Harrison pushed for the signing of the Treaty of Fort Wayne in 1809.
Negotiated with the Delaware, Eel River, Miami, Potawatomi and Kickapoo tribes to receive 3 million acres of land in Indiana and Illinois.
The US government agreed to pay $5,200 for it up front and then annuities ranging between $250 and $500.
Madison Presidency (1809-1817)
The Shawnee tribe was excluded from the treaty during its ratification.
This gave Shawnee leader Tecumseh an opportunity to openly denounce the treaty to Harrison a year after its signing.
After Harrison refused to nullify the Treaty of Fort Wayne, Tecumseh threatens to forge an alliance with Britain (whose relations with the US were still suffering due to the impressments issue.)
Madison Presidency (1809-1817)
Ultimately, the issue of settlement led to the Battle of Tippecanoe and Tecumseh’s War (1810-1813).
Harrison led the US to victory in that battle and destroyed the Shawnee capital of Prophetstown.
This victory made Harrison a national hero and cemented in his Presidential victory years later.
Tecumseh’s defeat led him to seek support from the British.
War of 1812
Still facing Napoleon in Europe, the British mostly rely on their colonial garrisons and native allies to carry the burden of war during the early stages of the Anglo-American War of 1812 (1812-1815.)
The War Hawks wanted to make Canada part of the United States
America invaded Canada with some initial success, but was ultimately rebuked and thrown back southwards.
Foreign Policy
In 1810, Congress passed Macon’s Bill No. 2, which granted exclusive trade with either France or Britain, depending on which would repeal restriction on neutral shipping first.
Pushed by War Hawks (including John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay), in Congress and repeated infringements by the British on America’s right to neutrality, President Madison asks for a declaration of war against Britain in 1812.
War of 1812
1814 saw the nadir of American fortunes. During one in a series of raids on the American coastline by the British, they marched on Washington and razed the White House and Capital building.
In a similar instance, US forces suffered major defeats by a British army that landed in New York. The British troops were battle hardened veterans from the conflict in Spain.
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War of 1812
During the Battle of Baltimore, Francis Scott Key witness the bombing of Fort McHenry from a British ship he was negotiating a prisoner exchange on.
Following the assault on the Fort, Key was inspired by the sight of the American flag still waving above the fort. This event led him to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
War of 1812
Enraged by the war and the Embargo Act of 1813, delegates from the 5 New England states met in Hartford Connecticut to protest federal encroachments.
During the Hartford Convention, they ultimately voted in opposition to secession.
War of 1812
The Treaty of Ghent was signed in December 1814. This was a peace treaty between the British and Americans ending the war with neither side gaining any territory.
Several weeks after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, Andrew Jackson led American forces to victory in the Battle of New Orleans.
Forces in the area did not know about the peace treaty at the time of the battle. This victory later helped Jackson win election to the presidency.
Madison Presidency (1809-1817)
Though no territory was exchanged in the peace treaty, US-UK relations were actually much warmer after the war.
Recognizing the growth of US industry, the British attempted to strangle the infant US manufacturing market by flooding the States with cheaply made goods.
To combat this, Congress passed the first protective tariff in United States history, the Tariff of 1816
Madison Presidency (1809-1817)
In the 1810 Fletcher v. Peck court case, the Supreme Court ruled that a Georgia law voiding a previous legislator’s land grant was unconstitutional.
The Georgia law contended that the land grant was based on fraud, however, the court held that the contract was binding and could not be voided by the state.
This case was the first time a state law was struck down by the Supreme Court and helped establish the sanctity of contracts.
Madison Presidency (1809-1817)
1811 saw the beginning of the construction of the Cumberland Road, also known as the National Road.
It was built between Cumberland, MD to Wheeling, VA. It was later extended to Vandalia, IL in 1838.
By about 1825, thousands of miles of turnpikes -- privately owned toll roads chartered by the states -- crisscrossed southern New England, upstate NY, much of PA and northern NJ
Monroe Presidency (1817-1825)
The election of 1816 saw the Secretary of State, James Monroe, ascend to the presidency.
Monroe was the last founding father to serve as President of the United States. A student of Thomas Jefferson, Monroe was a staunch Republican.
Monroe not only served in the constitutional convention (where he was opposed to the constitution), but also was Governor of Virginia, diplomat to France, Secretary of State, and Secretary of War.
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Monroe Presidency (1817-1825)
Arguably the most spectacular engineering achievement of the time was the construction of the Erie Canal. Designed with the aim of spreading eastern trade westward, the construction of the canal began in 1817 and ended in 1825.
Erie was only the most notable of the many canals built in the United States between 1816 and 1840 as part of the canal system. These projects, as well as the construction of turnpikes, aimed to strengthen commerce throughout the United States.
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Monroe Presidency (1817-1825)
In New Hampshire, the sacking of the President of Dartmouth College by the board of trustees led the governor of the state to try and revoke the school’s charter, making it a public institution.
In Dartmouth v. Woodward, the court ruled in favor of the college, stating that the royal charter issued to it in 1769 was protected by the constitution and could not be violated by the state.
This ruling indirectly led to the rise of the American business corporation and the American free enterprise system.
Monroe Presidency (1817-1825)
March 1819, the McCulloch v. Maryland case was settled in the Supreme Court.
This case was the result of an 1818 attempt by the Maryland legislator to place a tax on the Bank of the United States. The court unanimously favored the bank cashier who refused to pay the tax (James McCulloch.)
This case established two major principles of constitutional law: that the “necessary and proper” clause of the constitution allotted Congress the implied power to implement the resolutions it passes, and that the states may not override a valid expression of federal power.
Monroe Presidency (1817-1825)
Another major court case occurred in 1824. Gibbons v. Ogden tackled the issue of monopoly in the United States.
Aaron Ogden, who possessed a monopoly license for steamboat services from New York state, was challenged by Thomas Gibbons, who had a similar license from the federal government.
The Supreme Court came to the resolution that the national government held precedent over the state assemblies on issues of commerce.
Monroe Presidency (1817-1825)
The Adams-Onis Treaty was struck in 1819 between Secretary of State John Quincy Adams and Spanish foreign minister Luis de Onis.
The deal purchased Florida from Spain at the cost of the federal government assuming $5 million worth in claims by American citizens against Spain.
It also established a new border between Spain’s North American territories and the Louisiana territory.
Monroe Presidency (1817-1825)
In a 1823 speech to Congress, Monroe supported the independence of nations in the western hemisphere against European interference.
In what later became the Monroe Doctrine, the President declared that the US would not allow for the establishment of new colonies in the Americas or for existing ones to expand.
Monroe Presidency (1817-1825)
Arguably one of the most important episodes of the Monroe Presidency was the establishment of the Missouri Compromise of 1820.
The introduction of Maine as a free state served to bring back the issue of slavery that plagued the constitutional convention.
Seeking to keep a balance between slave and free states, Missouri was admitted as a slaveholding state in 1821.
It prohibited slavery in the remaining Louisiana territory north of 36° 30’ latitude. This effectively served to kick the issue of slavery down the road for a later generation to deal with.