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James Madison was elected in 1808 to succeed Jefferson.  But Madison was a bit of an egghead, one of the few presidents who did not serve in war as others his age had.  Madison was in over his head as a president.  Madison was a thinker, not a commander-in-chief.  England was still the most powerful country in the world, and not someone to pick a fight with, regardless of what a professor type might think.   

James Madison was elected in 1808 to succeed Jefferson.  But Madison was a bit of an egghead, one of the few presidents who did not serve in war as others his age had.  Madison was in over his head as a president.  Madison was a thinker, not a commander-in-chief.  England was still the most powerful country in the world, and not someone to pick a fight with, regardless of what a professor type might think.   

England stayed in Canada and some “War Hawks” in Congress (particularly Henry Clay) accused it of inciting Indian attacks against us.  England was also harassing our sailors and impressing them.  We were humiliated by England invading D.C. and burning down the Capitol and the White House.  Madison’s wife Dolly had to save the portrait of George Washington when they fled the White House.

England was still in Canada and some "War Hawks" in Congress (particularly Henry Clay) accused it of inciting Indian attacks against us.  England was also harassing American sailors and impressing them.  Adding insult to injury, England invading D.C. itself and burning down the Capitol and the White House.  President Madison was befuddled and almost helpless.  It took his wife Dolly to show some initiative and at least save the portrait of George Washington as they fled the White House from the invasion.  

But England didn’t want to continue fighting with the United States.  So on Christmas Eve, England agreed to end the war with the Treaty of Ghent, and the U.S. did not have to give back any land.  Sometimes this is called the Second Revolutionary War to finish off disputes lingering from the first war.

In 1814, in the harbor at Baltimore, a battle was fought at Fort McHenry, during which the British shelled the American fortress.  An amateur poet named Francis Scott Key was detained during the battle and put his idle time to good use.  He penned the Star-Spangled Banner in honor of how the American flag continued to fly throughout the bombardment.  In 1931, over 100 years later, it became the official National Anthem.

But news of the treaty traveled slowly in those days, and on Jan. 8, 1815, the British assaulted General Andrew Jackson’s troops down in New Orleans.  Jackson hated the British ever since he was a teenager. Then Jackson was ordered by a British soldier to shine the soldier’s shoes in a humiliation to Jackson.  Jackson refused and the soldier took out his sword and smacked Jackson across his face, leaving a scar.

But England did not want to continue fighting with the United States.  So on Christmas Eve, England agreed to end the war with the Treaty of Ghent, and the U.S. did not have to give back any land.  It arranged for a long, open Canadian-U.S. border that remains to this day.  Sometimes the [[War of 1812 is called the Second Revolutionary War because it finished off disputes lingering from the first war.

Jackson had settled in Tennessee where there were many woodsmen and hunters.  The Americans in Tennessee and Kentucky had rifles and were very good with them.  They were expert marksmen.  Jackson called up these marksmen to help him in New Orleans against the British.  Those marksmen with their rifles just mowed the British down in the Battle of New Orleans.  Jackson became an overnight hero to the entire country for destroying the British there.

 

Jackson had settled in Tennessee where there were many woodsmen and hunters.  The Americans in Tennessee and Kentucky had rifles and were very good with them.  They were expert marksmen.  People in Tennessee also volunteer for military service in huge percentages, giving it the nickname the "Volunteer State" that it still uses to this day.  Jackson called up these marksmen to help him in New Orleans against the British, and the residents of Tennessee and Kentucky answered his call.  They rallied to Jackson's army.

 

Jackson led his army of marksmen down to New Orleans to settle his nation's score against the British, and perhaps settle Jackson's personal grudge against them also.  Great Britain was the mightiest nation in the world and her soldiers were confident they could charge and destroy the ragtag American army.  The British soldiers conducted an all-out charge against the Americans, but the British were no match for the frontier American marksmen from Tennessee and Kentucky.  Those marksmen used their own rifles to completely mow down and destroy the charging British in this Battle of New Orleans.  Jackson became an overnight hero to the entire country for destroying the British there.  This was the finest and most one-sided victory the young nation had ever had.

 

Jackson was not the only war hero of the time.  William Henry Harrison had defeated the Indians at Tippecanoe Creek several years earlier, in November 1811.  Then Harrison destroyed Indian confederacy in Ohio.  But Jackson was a bigger hero for defeating the British.  Years later, first Jackson would become president based in his popularity as a hero, and then later Harrison would also be elected president.

Near the end of the war of 1812 there was an extraordinary meeting called the Hartford Convention, at which Federalists convened in Hartford, Connecticut.  They drew up plans to oppose the war and perhaps even secede from the United States, out of friendship to England.  We won the war and the Federalists looked like traitors.  This ended the Federalist Party.

Near the end of the war of 1812 there was an extraordinary meeting called the Hartford Convention, at which Federalists convened in Hartford, Connecticut.  They drew up plans to oppose the war and perhaps even secede from the United States, out of friendship to England.  We won the war and the Federalists looked like traitors.  This ended the Federalist Party.