Preludeto War
Conflicts Abroad and at Home Lead to War
l. What is "tribute"? Who was demanding it and why?
2. What is a "frigate"?
3. Based on what you read how would you describea "pirate"?
4. During Jefferson's time as President, what was America's prosperity dependentupon?
5. What are "neutral right$'/
6. What did the French and British do to prevent American merchantsfrom shipping goods overseas?
7. What is "impressment"? Who practiced it against American ships?Why?
8. What was the Embargo Act? What effects did this have on the US?
9. In the fall of 1808,JamesMadisorq was electd president. rn early lgl0, Congresspassedthe Non_
Intercourse Act. What did it do? Did it help? Exptain.
10. What is a "Warllawk"?
I l. What problem within the United States lead to Congress making our first declaration of war? Who
was it declaredagainst?
12. Dravnng Conclusions:Fill in the chart below, using the text.
Gauses of the UUarof {8d2
External Causes
Internal Causes
A Time of Conflict
Jeffirson and Madison Deal with both kternal
and Internnl Threats to Our Nation's Peace and Security
Early in Jefferson'sfirst term, he describeda problemthat had b€enthrcareningAmerican trade in the
MediterraneanSeafor years.Tripoll, one of ssveralMuslim ontmlld BarbaryCmst statesin Northern Afric4 frequently
stoppedships and demandd *tribute" for their release-This arnountedto basicallyextortion. If countrieschosenot to pay
the pirates,their ships,cargoes,and sailorswere held prisoner-Europeancouatrieswere in the habit of payrngmillions of
dollars a year to be protectedfrom thesepirates.Jeffersonsenta small squadronof frigatesto the MediterraneanSeato
protect American shipping-However,in 1804,the USSPhila&lphia was seizedand towedinto Tripoli's harbor. US Navy
Captain StephenDecaturtook a small numberof Marinesand sliped insothe harborat dght, blowing the Philadelphiaup
to preventthe BarbaryPiratesfrom using it, ard rescuingtk sailorswh were held capive,
Jeffersonhad a$emptedthis whole time to maintain a positionof neutrality in the war betweenBritain and France
that had beengoing on since 1803-This war had beenpeqpehntedby N4oleon wh mnrinued to try and expandhis
"French Empire". However,Jeffersonand his srcessor, Iatm Madimn, ford trat naintaining 'neutral rights ' wasrrery
difficult.
Very quickly, England gainedcontrrolof the se4 ad Frare rmderN4oleon Bonaparteoontrolled the European
mainland. The Amerie eoonomyrelied greatlyon shiping goodstoboth GreatBdtain and Frane- With the increasein
shipping sailorsbecamesc:rae, threfore, Arerican merchantsbeganto offer high wagesto attract employees.This
causedmany Americansto chosesailing asanoeparion- Furfher,itcaudmauyBritish
sailorsto leaveBritish merchant
shipsfor American ships-Someevendesertedtheir postsin tk Bdtish navyto makerx>rrerlxrneywith American
merchants.Over time, both England and Franceattemptedto pr€ventArcrican shipsfrom trading with eachotlrcr. This
blockadeof trade with both Britain and Francewascontinually violated by Arerican shipsfhat were profiting too greatly
to be concernedwith suchpolicies-Britain anrl Frane beganto seizeAmican shipsthat yiolated the blockade.This
resultedin nearly 1,5ffi American shipsbeingtakenby the tnromrntries. In addition to this, the British beganto "impress"
American sailorsfrom shipsthat were seizd. TheseAmericanswere ma& to servecn British ships in their war against
France.This was a direct violation of the unwritten internafionallaw of |ism
of the seas-
of any other Americanshipsbeing seize4 Congresspassedand Jefferson
signeda bill in 1807that createdan embargg rmicting tra& with all gurogeannations.This rpset American merchants.
In an attemptto eliminate the pwbility
The impact on the US econourywas devastating-Many merchantsignoredth edargo arul begansmuggling goods.
In the electionof 1808,JamesMadisonbecamepresi&nt He att@ed
to keepthe United Statesout of war just
as Jeffersondid. In 1810,the EmbargoAct wasreplacodby the moreper:missiveNon-IntermurseAct. This allowed the US
to trade with the first country to lift the hn on tradewith the US- Napoleondid so quickly, hrt tricked the US and
continuedto attack American merchantships.Certain membersof C-ongress
called War tlawks criticized Madison's
ineffectivediplomacyand beganto demanda declarationof war- But apins whom?
Madison had also to deal with problemsat homeon the Frontier- The rndi*ns of the NorthwestTerritory led by
Tecumsehwereviolating the treaty boundariesand aggressivelyprwenting settlement.Jfigse Indians had renewedtheir
ties to British Indian Agentswho suppliedthem with we4ons- C*n- William Henry llarrison was sentto deal with the
problem and in 1811at the Battle of Tippecanoehe defeatedTecunseh,wln fled to British C-anadaThis was the last
for the United States'first declarationof
straw, and in Juneof l8l2 the War tlaufts got thir way-lv{adisonaskedC-ongress
war againstBritain.