War at Sea

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Americans were justifiably proud of their victories over British warships on the high seas. In these one-on-one contests, the newly designed American frigates proved faster, more maneuverable, and more resistant to enemy fire than their British counterparts. American officers showed excellent seamanship, and their crews were well-trained, usually exceeding the British in the accuracy of their gunnery.

The celebrated victories, however, distract from the more basic realities of the naval War of 1812. First, the British possessed a vastly larger navy, with 500 ships in service, including 115 ships-of-the-line and 126 frigates. The entire American navy consisted of 17 vessels. With such numbers, the British successfully blockaded American ports throughout the war. Second, the greatest American naval victories of the war took place on the inland waters of Lake Erie and Lake Champlain. Oliver Hazard Perry’s victory secured the Northwest, while that of Thomas Macdonough prevented a British occupation of upper New York.

These victories shaped the course of peace negotiations and convinced the Duke of Wellington—whom many in the British government wanted to send to America after Napoleon’s initial defeat—that the war in the United States could not easily be won.

Teachers, use this website to help teach your students. Lesson plans available for grades 4 - 12.
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Thomas Macdonough 1783–1825
Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828)
Oil on wood, c. 1815/1818
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Perry’s Victory on Lake Erie
Thomas Birch (1779–1851)
Oil on canvas, c. 1814
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12 at Midnight; the Hibernia Attempting to run the Comet Down
Thomas Whitcombe (c. 1760–c. 1824)
Oil on canvas, 1814
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A Boxing Match, or Another Bloody Nose for John Bull
William Charles (1776–1820)
Etching with watercolor, 1813
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Model of the Constitution
Wood, 1920–21
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James Lawrence 1781–1813
Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828)
Oil on wood, c. 1812
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