10 Questions: The War of 1812 Multiple Choice Quiz | History

Answer: War Hawks

The presidental election of 1812 was a contest between the War Hawks and those for peace. The War Hawks supported Madison and those for peace supported DeWitt Clinton of New York. When Madison was re-elected (by a small margin) he soon went to Congress asking for a declaration of war.

Answer: France

While Great Britain and France were at war, the U.S. tried to maintain trade with both countries. Neither France nor Britain liked the U.S. trading with its enemy so they each set up blockades and seized American ships. In 1810 Madison said that the U.S. would trade with whichever country stopped restricting American ships first and would refuse to trade with the other country. France quickly agreed to the deal. Anti-British feelings in America were strong and this deal with France pushed the U.S. towards war.

However, through much of the War of 1812 many New England States did continue to trade with with Great Britain. In fact, the British also agreed to Madison's proposal, but the war hawks wanted war with Britain in order to expand into Canada and Florida as well as to deal with the hostile Native Americans.

Answer: 3

Although the War Hawks had claimed that victory would be easy it soon became clear that the American military was not prepared for war. All three attempts to invade Canada met with defeat. The U.S. Army was poorly trained and numbered fewer than 10,000 troops. The generals had very little war experience.

Answer: Constitution

The war at sea began well with the U.S. Navy destroying 1,500 British merchant ships. However, in time the much larger British Navy took control. The British created a blockade that stopped all shipping to and from the United States.

Answer: William H. Harrison

General Harrison defeated a joint British and Native American force in Canada at the Battle of Thames. Shawnee leader Tecumseh was killed in this battle and his death helped to end cooperation between the Native Americans and the British.

Answer: Creek

Jackson's victory forced the Native Americans to sign a treaty giving up about 20 million acres of land. This opened up Georgia and present-day Alabama to settlers.

Answer: The Capitol and the White House

Several other buildings also burned in addition to the Capitol and the White House. The damage would, no doubt, have been much worse if the British had wanted to destroy the city completely. The British troops were ordered to burn only specific buildings and not the whole city.

The damage to the city was greatly reduced by a thunderstorm that helped put out the fires. The United States had done far worse damage to Canadian cities, including Toronto.

Answer: The Star Spangled Banner

Francis Scott Key, a lawyer, saw the U.S. flag still flying over Fort McHenry after a night of shelling by the British and saw the flag as a visible symbol of U.S. independence. He wrote the poem "The Defence of Fort McHenry" about that powerful symbol.

Answer: True

In December of 1814 the U.S. and Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent and ended the war. It stated that "all territory, places and possessions whatsoever taken by either party during the war ... shall be restored."

Answer: New Orleans

Though fewer than 400 British troops were killed 1,200-1,500 more were wounded. American forces had fewer than 100 men killed or wounded. This battle added to the already widespread fame and popularity of Andrew Jackson. Fighting went on for another month before news of the Treaty of Ghent reached America from Europe.