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President Madison's 1812 War Message
—Curriculum Unit Overview—
Whether the United States shall continue passive under these … accumulating
wrongs, or, opposing force to force in defense of their national rights, shall
commit a just cause into the hands of the Almighty Disposer of Events, … is
a solemn question which the Constitution wisely confides to the legislative
department of the Government. In recommending it to their early deliberations
I am happy in the assurance that the decision will be worthy the enlightened
and patriotic councils of a virtuous, a free, and a powerful nation.
—President James Madison, War Message to Congress Washington, June 1, 1812
Introduction
According to the essay James
Madison, 'Creating the Balance' on the EDSITEment resource The
American President, "Madison's presidency was dominated by a crisis with Great
Britain, which for years had been grossly violating American shipping rights."
This crisis over U.S. shipping rights actually began while George Washington was
president and grew during Thomas Jefferson's term in office (1800-1808), when
Madison served as Secretary of State. Between 1805-07, a large number of American
ships were seized and impressments of American sailors into service on British
ships increased, leading Congress to pass an extreme measure, the Embargo Act
of 1807. The act restricted trade with foreign nations. A state of war that began
in 1803 and would continue until after Napoleon's abdication in 1814 resulted
in a loss of commerce that devastated the American economy while doing little
to change the policies of France and Britain.
Abuses to American commerce on the part of Britain and France continued. But
in 1810 Napoleon's announcement that France would no longer seize American ships
convinced President Madison to allow trade with France. The announcement had
conditions attached, and France continued to interfere with American shipping.
In the end, however, the U.S. declared war only on Great Britain.
The decision to go to war is one of the most serious an American president
faces. On June 1, 1812, President Madison sent a letter—later dubbed his
war message—to both houses of Congress. In it, he listed a series of transgressions
Great Britain had committed against the U.S. He also explained his decision
not to recommend war with France at that time. EDSITEment resources offer primary
documents that illuminate key points in President Madison's War Message. Help
your students understand the reasons the president gave for going to war, while
heightening their appreciation of the value of archival sources.
Guiding Questions
- How did Madison build the case for war in his message to Congress?
- What were the issues in maritime disputes between the U.S. and Great Britain?
- What were the accusations against the British in North America?
- Why did Madison not include a specific declaration of war in his remarks?
- Why did Madison not recommend that Congress should decide whether to wage
war on France?
Learning Objectives
- Paraphrase Madison's case against the British.
- Cite important examples of insults to American maritime rights and explain
the ways in which they were troubling to the U.S.
- Explain the position of the U.S. in the maritime disputes.
- Discuss accusations made against the British in North America.
- Restate Madison's reasons for asking Congress to postpone making a decision
on war with France.
Preparing to Teach This Curriculum Unit
- Review the lesson plan. Locate and bookmark suggested materials and other
useful websites. Download and print out documents you will use and duplicate
copies as necessary for student viewing.
- Download the blackline
masters for this lesson, available here as a PDF file. Print out and make
an appropriate number of copies of any handouts you plan to use in class.
- This unit consists of three parts. First, students will read President Madison's
War Message (in either an edited/annotated or full-text version) and be given
the opportunity to raise questions about its contents. Then the teacher—in
a series of optional mini-lessons—will share with the class pertinent
examples of primary documents (and some secondary accounts) that illuminate
key points in President Madison's letter. The lesson identifies 10 statements
in the message about which students are likely to have questions, and it provides
relevant materials. If students raise questions about other sections of the
letter, class members may be able to locate pertinent documents on their own,
once they become familiar with some of the sources available in the records
of Congress. In the end, students will return to the War Message, review its
contents, and consider what documents might be useful in making further analyses
of the text.
- Students can use the Biographical
Directory on the EDSITEment resource Congress
Link to obtain information (including his party affiliation, when he served,
and a link to a brief biography) on any member of Congress mentioned or to
explore the influence of party or section of the country on any particular
vote mentioned in a document from the House or Senate.
- Throughout this unit, students read and analyze a variety of primary documents.
The following materials from EDSITEment resources may be useful to teachers
seeking expert advice on the use of primary documents:
- EDSITEment offers a lesson, "James
Madison: From Father of the Constitution to President," that you may wish
to use to complement this unit.
Unit Lessons
Selected EDSITEment Websites
- American Memory
[http://memory.loc.gov/]
- Barlow Transmits
Document He Has Never Seen (American State Papers, Foreign Relations: Vol.
3, p. 613)
[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwsp.html]
- A Century of
Lawmaking for a New Nation
[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html]
- Embargo
of France Repealed (and not of Britain)
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=003/llsp003.db&recNum=399]
- Exports
by State for Fiscal 1806
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=014/llsp014.db&Page=697]
- Exports
by State for Fiscal 1807
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=014/llsp014.db&recNum=726]
- Exports
by State for Fiscal 1808
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=014/llsp014.db&Page=739]
- Exports
by State for Fiscal 1811
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=014/llsp014.db&Page=893]
- Exports
by State for Fiscal 1812
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=014/llsp014.db&recNum=970]
- Exports
by State for Fiscal 1814
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=014/llsp014.db&Page=1023]
- Exports
by State for Fiscal 1815
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&recNum=807]
- Extract
of a Letter from Governor Harrison to the War Department At Vincennes, September
17, 1811
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&recNum=802]
- Extract
of a Letter from J. Rhea, captain thirteenth regiment of infantry, dated
Fort Wayne, March 14, 1812
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=015/llsp015.db&Page=23]
- Extracts
of a Letter from William Wells regarding evidence that British officers
were inciting Northwestern Indians to hostilities, February 10, 1812
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&recNum=806]
- Foreign
Relations Committee November 29, 1811
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=003/llsp003.db&recNum=544]
- France
Restores Harmony with the U.S., Sept. 1810
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=003/llsp003.db&recNum=395]
- Great
Britain from Canada, by causing handbills offering great inducements
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&Page=550]
- Great
Britain, in Canada, to excite the Indians against the United States
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&recNum=746]
- Great
Britain, in exciting the Northwestern Indians to hostilities
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&recNum=806]
- Hostile
Movements
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&Page=805]
- House
of Representatives: June 3, 1812, Declaration of War
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName
=024/llac024.db&recNum=228]
- Index
to the Extracts of Letters to the War Department (first page)
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&recNum=798]
- Index
to the Extracts of Letters to the War Department (last page)
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&recNum=799]
- James
Madison, State of the Union Address, November 5, 1811
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(hj0084))]
- John Henry, a secret agent of the British Government
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=003/llsp003.db&recNum=553]
- Letter
from Captain Thomas Pasteur to Major General Wayne, November 3, 1794
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&Page=550]
- Letter
from William Hull, Governor of the Michigan Territory, to Henry Dearborn,
the Secretary of War, November 24, 1807
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=007/llsp007.db&recNum=747]
- Letters
Confirming That No One Recognizes The French Document (American State Papers,
Foreign Relations: Vol. 3, p. 614 )
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=003/llsp003.db&recNum=621]
- Means
supposed to be taken by the Governor of Canada to excite the Indians
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=001/llsp001.db&Page=461]
- Message
respecting the causes of the failure of the American army on the Northwestern
frontier, February 2, 1814
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=016/llsp016.db&Page=439]
- Objections
to the War in the Senate (Mr. German)
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName
=023/llac023.db&recNum=133]
- On
a request from Congress to supply a list of those impressed, signed by James
Madison
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=002/llsp002.db&recNum=781]
- Orders
in Council of Nov. 11, 1807
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=003/llsp003.db&recNum=276]
- Petition
of the inhabitants of Nantucket, in the State of Massachusetts
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(hj008155))]
- Petitions
of sundry inhabitants of Philadelphia county
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(hj008146))]
- Petition
from the Citizens of Plymouth May 14, 1812
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(hj008149))]
- Representative
Taggert's Objections to the Declaration of War
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName
=024/llac024.db&recNum=228]
- End
of Representative Taggert's Objections
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName
=024/llac024.db&recNum=249]
- Representative
Taggert's Objections to the War RE: Canada
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName
=024/llac024.db&recNum=241]
- The
Report of a committee of the House of Representatives, on the causes which
justify the United States in declaring war against Great Britain, 1812,
June 3
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=003/llsp003.db&Page=567]
- A
Report to the House of Representatives on the American frigate Chesapeake,
November 17, 1807
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=003/llsp003.db&Page=6]
- Secretary
of State Madison's Summary Chart of Impressments Begins, 1808 (page 36)
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=003/llsp003.db&recNum=41]
- Secretary
of State Madison's Summary Chart of Impressments Ends with a Tally of Totals
(page 45), 1808
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName
=003/llsp003.db&recNum=50]
- Senate
Proceedings of June 17, Page 297
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName
=023/llac023.db&recNum=146]
- Speech
on the Floor of the House by Felix Grundy, pages 425-427
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName
=023/llac023.db&recNum=209]
- Speech
on the Floor of the House by Felix Grundy, page 427
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName
=023/llac023.db&recNum=210]
- Speech
inserted into the Congressional Record by Samuel Taggart begins page 1638
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName
=024/llac024.db&recNum=228]
- Speech
inserted into the Congressional Record by Samuel Taggart ends page 1679
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName
=024/llac024.db&recNum=249]
- Thomas
Jefferson's Third State of the Union, Washington, DC, 1803-10-17
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(sj003392))]
- Using
Primary Sources in the Classroom
[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/primary.html]
- WEDNESDAY,
JUNE 17, 1812 The Senate Passes the Declaration of War
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(sj005181))]
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