Leading up to the War of 1812, France and Britain were at war with each other. Americans did not desire to get involved with the war, but they wanted to continue to trade with these nations, if possible. Unfortunately, relations with Britain continued to suffer as skirmishes broke out with the Indians in the Western territory. When the Indians allied with the British and the British Navy continued to intervene with American vessels, war seemed inevitable. Here are some things you should know for the War of 1812 APUSH questions you should prepare to answer.
What Was the War of 1812?
Fought between the United States and Great Britain, the War of 1812 included battles from Canada to the Western territory and Florida. Outraged with the impressment of American sailors among other things, America wanted to protect their sailors from being forced into joining the British Navy.
By going to war, Americans hoped to:
When Did It Take Place?
Although it’s called the War of 1812, tensions grew for many years before that. Finally, Congress officially declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812.
The war ended in December 1814 with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. However, it took a while for news to spread. Consequently, the Battle of New Orleans took place in January 1815.
Why Is the War of 1812 Important?
The War of 1812 is important because it strengthened Americans’ feelings of nationalism. The war created a cohesive union, as they worked together to defeat the enemy.
It also encouraged economic independence, growth of industry within America, and the creation of a strong national army and navy.
People to Know
Events
War of 1812 APUSH Practice Questions
1. Which of the following statements are NOT true about the Battle of New Orleans?
a. Andrew Jackson led the troops into battle and emerged as a hero.
b. The British were forced to surrender and ultimately lost the war.
c. The battle took place after the war had ended.
d. It was a major win for Americans, creating great feelings of patriotism.
Answer: B. Although the British were defeated in the Battle of New Orleans, the win did not impact the results of the war. This is especially true since the war ended over a month before the battle occurred.
2. Why did Americans want to go to war against the British in the War of 1812?
a. The British were at war with France, who was one of America’s greatest allies.
b. Americans were angry with the British for firing on their ships and capturing their sailors.
c. Several British settlements were created on land claimed by Americans along the Western frontier.
d. The British refused to trade with American merchants, which destroyed the American economy.
Answer: B. Americans were angry with impressment of American sailors and the firing on American ships when Britain was at war with France.
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About Jamie Goodwin
Jamie graduated from Brigham Young University- Idaho with a degree in English Education. She spent several years teaching and tutoring students at the elementary, high school, and college level. She currently works as a contract writer and curriculum developer for online education courses. In her free time, she enjoys running and spending time with her boys!
5 Responses to “The War of 1812: APUSH Topics to Study for Test Day”
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The first practice question about, which of the following is NOT TRUE about the battle of New Orleans….the answer has to be wrong. It should be B. And the explanation for why you said it was C makes no sense anyway. Go back and read “C” and then what you wrote about why “C” is the correct answer.
It looks to me like (B) would be more or less true, since the British did withdraw from the Battle of New Orleans, although the statement in (B) that the British “ultimately lost the war” is a little odd, since “ultimately” suggests that the greater war was lost after the Battle of New Orleans, rather than before the Battle concluded. And (C) doesn’t quite make sense either, nor does the explanation.
Sorry about that, and thanks for bringing this to my attention. I’ll talk to the blog editors and make sure we can get that first practice question and explanation revised for clarity.
Hi again Wil,
Revisions made. 🙂 I realized that if (B) is listed as the correct answer, then the answer key and explanation work. After careful reconsideration, I also decided to keep in “ultimately,” because while that word can mean “afterward,” it can also mean “in the grand scheme of things,” which does work here. More importantly, the current wording looks very much like something you’d see on the real APUSH exam. 🙂
B is correct. The explanation to B also includes that the war had already ended, and it is true that it had no significant impact
The British did not lose the war, so B cannot be considered true.