| The War of 1812 (America at War) |  | Author: Miriam Greenblatt
Publisher: Facts on File
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 1953809
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 128
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.6
ISBN: 0816028796
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.52
EAN: 9780816028795
ASIN: 0816028796
Publication Date: July 1994
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Product Description
A revised account of the events surrounding the War of 1812 between the newly established United States and Great Britain.
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| Customer Reviews:
A Condensed History October 15, 2008
This book is part of a series "America At War" which covers eight wars. Miriam Greenblatt wrote this condensed history, and other books. The "Recommended Reading" lists 15 titles but does not classify them for the reader. Gaillard Hunt wrote a book on American life in 1814 that should be i in this list. This book is oriented to the general reader who wants to learn about it. It has 9 chapters, 119 pages, and an Index. The chapters are not in historical order.
Chapter 1 tells of the attack and capture of Washington in August 1814. The British burned the government buildings then left to attack Baltimore, the third most important city. What brought on this conflict? There were economic, political, and cultural reasons behind the declaration of war in June 1812, Chapter 2 explains the causes. International trade was important (p.24) but so were the western lands. There was a conflict between the increasing American settlers and the Indians over land and hunting (Chapter 3). Life in America is described in Chapter 4. [Oxen can exist on sparse fodder unlike a horse (p.38).] Most workers were self-employed (p.40). John Jacob Astor created a monopoly and became the first millionaire (p.41). One important fact was an abundance of food (p.43). The result of freedom and low taxes.
America was not prepared for war, and could not match the naval power of Great Britain. The conquest of Canada would remove the threat from Indians (p.53). The first battles were losses (p.58). General Zebulon Pike's forces attacked and captured York, the capital of Upper Canada. The explosion of the British ammunition stores killed many Americans, and the survivors burned government buildings. American control of Lake Erie caused a British withdrawal. The Battle of the Thames river was an American victory. The "exact circumstances" of Tecumseh's death were certain then: Colonel Richard Johnson claimed the credit. [The quality of this book is shown by the map on page 66.] The war ended in a stalemate on land.
The small US navy won victories (Chapter 6). American privateers captured hundreds of British merchant ships. Control of Lake Erie meant control of transportation (p.73). The defeat of the British fleet on Lake Champlain led to the end of the war (p.82). The capture and burning of Washington united America against the British (p.84). Chapter 7 tells of the defense of Fort McHenry and Baltimore, the base for privateers (p.86). The British failed by land and by sea. Francis Scott Key wrote a poem "The Defense of Fort McHenry" which was set to music by another (p.92). [The national anthem in the 18th and 19th century was "Yankee Doodle".] The war in the South involved the Creek (Muskogee) Indians. They received aid from Spanish Florida. Andrew Jackson led the militia to victory (p.98). Jackson became head of the US Army's 7th Military District and continued the war. The Battle of New Orleans made Jackson famous. Chapter 9 discusses the peace Treaty of Ghent. America was victorious (p.114). The Indian tribes would no longer expect help from the British (p.115). America continued to move westward (p.116), created a peacetime army, built a navy (p.117), and developed an armaments industry. Congress passed the first protective tariff and developed roads and canals. America gained confidence in their abilities.
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