Challenge to the New Republic: The War of 1812
Printed Curriculum [$20]
Downloadable Curriculum [$16]
Classroom Set [$9.75ea] (10 min)
Fourth edition.
Overview
The Federal Constitution of 1787 established national supremacy over foreign affairs, but left many separation-of-powers issues vague and undecided. The dominant concern at the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention was establishing an effective federal system. Which branch of the national government would ultimately control foreign policy was not clearly defined in the Constitution or seen as a cause for major concern by the its authors. This vagueness allowed the early presidential administrations to play an essential role in establishing precedents that continue to influence contemporary American foreign policy.
Challenge to the New Republic: The War of 1812 explores America's foreign policy between 1787 and 1812. During this time the United States faced a series of foreign policy challenges that threatened its survival as an independent, constitutional republic. Between 1793 and 1815, a nearly continuous series of wars pitting the French against the British engulfed the European continent. Other nations joined the conflict when they could not avoid it or deemed it beneficial to do so. The resulting disruption that the United States faced to its ocean-going trade and on its frontiers became the dominant foreign policy issues during the early years of the American Republic.
Readings
The background reading in Challenge to the New Republic: The War of 1812 places students in the context of the early 1800s as they prepare to consider the debate about whether to declare war on Great Britain. The unit relies heavily on primary sources, such as speeches, letters, newspaper articles and editorials, and political cartoons.
Framework of Policy Options
The four distinct policy directions, or options, at the core of the unit reconstruct the debate that took place in the U.S. Congress concerning whether to declare war after James Madison's war message of June 1, 1812.Each option is grounded in a clearly defined viewpoint about America's role in the world. By exploring the spectrum of alternatives, students gain a deeper understanding of the competing values and assumptions that framed the debate on U.S. policy at the beginning of the 19th century. Ultimately, the intent is to help students clarify their thoughts on America's experience, articulate their own views on U.S. policy, both past and present, and apply the lessons of history to the challenges facing Americans today.
Suggested Five-Day Lesson Plan
The Teacher's Resource Book accompanying Challenge to the New Republic: The War of 1812 contains a day-by-day lesson plan and student activities.
- Lesson One analyzes the Washington's and Adam's administrations lasting impact on foreign policy through an examination of primary source documents.
- Lesson Two reviews international events and the rise of political parties as shown by political cartoons.
- Lessons Three and Four engage students in a simulation set in early June 1812 of the congressional debate that considers whether the United States should declare war on Great Britain.
- Lesson Five asks students to assess the historical consequences of the War of 1812.