the loss of their commander. Two months later the Americans repelled a British attack upon Fort Erie. The assailing force was much larger than the American army at the fort, but the British were driven back beyond the Chippewa. These three victories were of moral aid to the country, but bore no immediate gain. The army soon went into winter-quarters at Buffalo.

An attempt was made by the British to invade New York by way of Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. Their fleet was met on the lake by Commodore MacDonough, in September, 1814, and, though the two fleets were nearly equal, the British were driven back with a loss of two hundred men and four vessels. This defeated the expedition and ended the war in the North.

They attacked

441. Burning of the Capitol. The English fleet upon the Atlantic completely blockaded the principal seaports of the United States, and kept the coast in a condition of constant alarm. many of the smaller towns, and plundered and burned wherever they went. Admiral Cockburn took possession of the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay as his headquarters. In August, 1814, General Ross landed in Maryland, and marched overland to the city of Washington. The British captured the city, and disgracefully burned nearly all of the public buildings. They did not spare the Capitol, and some private buildings also were destroyed in the conflagration. From Washington the enemy sailed up the Chesapeake to attack Baltimore. They were resisted at Fort McHenry, and driven back with the loss of their commander.

"Star Spangled Banner."-The failure of the British to capture Fort McHenry inspired the writing of one of America's best-known national songs. Francis S. Key had, during the day before the battle, visited the British fleet, in order to negotiate for an exchange of prisoners. He was detained on the vessel, and spent the night while the enemy made the attack on the fort. With patriotic zeal, Mr. Key waited the result of the combat, and in the morning saw the flag still flying. On the spot, he wrote the "Star-Spangled Banner," which immediately became popular, and was soon sung, far and near, throughout the country.

442. The Hartford Convention. As has been before mentioned, the New England States had always opposed the war.

When, in

the latter part of the year 1814, it seemed as if the war was a failure, that the government could not, and, as they thought, would not, protect New England, delegates from the five New England States met at Hartford "to confer upon the subject of their public grievances. After a short session these delegates reported, advis

ing amendments to the Constitution, among them one to restrict certain powers of Congress. Although this report was all that officially came from the Hartford Convention, it has been commonly believed that a dissolution of the Union was urged at this meeting. As the public was not admitted to its sessions, and as no general report of its discussions was ever published, this supposition could not be disproved. The delegates were politically ruined, and a death-blow was given to the Federalist party.

Louisiana was the first State to be formed out of the great province which Jefferson purchased from France in 1803. It had been settled by the French, under D'Iberville, in 1700, near the present site of New Orleans. In 1804, the southern portion of the province was made into the territory of Orleans, the name being changed to Louisiana when it was made a State. The leading agricultural industries of the "Pelican State" are cotton, sugar, and rice. Manufactures have, of late, been started in the State, while its population has rapidly increased until it is a little over a million.

The issues

Ghent, which was afterwards ratified by both nations. which brought about the war were not settled by the treaty, and affairs seemed to be left about as they had been before the war. In fact, however, the war

Indiana was the second of the States made out of the Northwest Territory. When Ohio was made a State, the rest of the territory was called Indiana, because of the Indian settlements within its borders. Like the other States in that section of the country, agriculture is the chief branch of industry, cereal productions holding the first rank. With a population of two and a half millions, the "Hoosier State is one of the most prosperous in the Union.

strengthened the position of the United States in the eyes of Europe, and England never again attempted to enforce her claim to the right of search and impressment.

News of the treaty did not reach the United States until February of the next year. Meanwhile, January 8th, 1815, a severe battle had been fought at New Orleans. General Andrew Jackson (1 468) had fortified the city, and with six thousand men withstood a British force of twice that number, under Sir Edward Pakenham. The American victory was complete, Jackson losing less than twenty-five men, killed and wounded, while the enemy lost their leader and more than two thousand soldiers.

444. Domestic Affairs. Nearly the whole of Madison's two administrations was devoted to European affairs and the war with

England. Few domestic matters of importance occupied the attention of Congress.

In 1811 an attempt was made to re-charter the National Bank (T 409), but it was unsuccessful, and the bank was closed. Five years later another attempt fared better, and a charter was granted for twenty years.

Two new States were admitted, Louisiana, the eighteenth, April 30th, 1812, and Indiana, the nineteenth, December 11th, 1816.

President Madison was re-elected in 1812, by a vote of 128 to 89 for DeWitt Clinton of New York; Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts being chosen Vice-President. James Monroe and Daniel D. Tompkins were the Republican candidates in 1816, and Monroe received a large majority over Rufus King, the candidate of the Federalists.

one.

CHAPTER LIX.

AN ERA OF GOOD FEELING. 1817-1825.

445. Monroe's Administrations. —James Monroe became President in 1817, a time when the United States was at peace with all the world. During his term of office the Federalist party ceased to exist, and all the people belonged to one party. In 1820 there was no opposition to the re-election of Monroe and Tompkins, and in the electoral college President Monroe received all the votes but These eight years were termed the "Era of Good Feeling." 446. The Purchase of Florida. In 1818, General Andrew Jackson (468) was sent to repel the invasion into Georgia by the Seminole Indians of Florida. The Spanish officials so persistently aided the Indians that Jackson exceeded his authority, invaded Florida, and seized the town of Pensacola. John Quincy Adams, the Secretary of State, entered into communication with Spain to settle this difficulty as well as the boundary dispute which had been pending since the purchase of Louisiana. These negotiations resulted in the purchase of Florida for the sum of five million.

dollars.

The treaty was signed by the commissioners in 1819, but was not finally ratified by the two governments until two years later. In this treaty the United States waived all right to the province of Texas (1483), and Spain gave up her claims to any land on the Pacific coast north of the fortysecond parallel. Thus was acquired another claim to the Oregon country (¶ 485).

James Monroe.

447. The Slavery Question. The most important question that arose during Monroe's administrations was with regard to slave and free States. One by one the Northern States abolished slavery, so that before 1808, when the foreign slave-trade was abolished, there were nine free States in the North and eight slave admission of Louisiana and Indiana

James Monroe, the last President from the Revolutionary group of statesmen, was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, April 28th, 1758. Leaving his studies at William and Mary College at the outbreak of the war, he entered the Revolutionary army at the early age of eighteen. He served his State as member of the legislature, representative, senator, and finally as governor. He had much experience in diplomatic service, being, at various times, minister to France, Spain, and England.

States in the South. By the during Madison's term, the numbers were ten free and nine slave. The attempt was being made to keep the numbers equal in order that the Senate might be equally divided. December 10th, 1817, Mississippi (slave) was admitted, and the numbers were equal. December 3d, 1818, Illinois (free), and December 14th, 1819, Alabama (slave) were admitted to the Union. In 1820 Maine and Missouri applied for admission. The question arose at once whether slavery should be permitted in the proposed State of Missouri or not. Maine became a State March 15th, 1820. 448. The Missouri Compromise. South was very anxious to keep the equality in the Senate, which would be lost if both Maine and Missouri were made free States. The opposition to the extension

The

As minister, perhaps his most important work was the negotiation, with R. R. Livingston, for the purchase of the province of Louisiana. During Madison's administration, he was Secretary of State, and a part of the time also Secretary of War. Monroe was elected President in 1816, and served two terms. He died July 4th, 1831.

of slavery had become strong in the North, and many members of Congress hesitated to vote to increase the number of slave States.

Mississippi. -The first settlement made in southern New France was in 1699, at Biloxi, in what is now Mississippi. This region passed to the English in 1763, and the larger part of it to the United States in 1783. The portion along the Gulf of Mexico was granted to Spain at the same time, and was for nearly forty years the cause of a dispute, which was not settled until the purchase of Florida. The " Bayou

State" contains an abundance of very fertile soil, a large portion of which is used in the production of cotton. More than a million and a quarter people live here, of which number one fourth are employed in farming.

The people of Illinois strongly objected to the forming of the slave State of Missouri, as it lay to the west of them, and a portion of Illinois would then be nearly surrounded by slavery. After a long debate the famous Missouri Compromise bill of 1820 was passed (¶ 513). This bill admitted Missouri as a slave State, while a statute was passed forever prohibiting slavery in the remainder of the Louisiana purchase, north of the parallel of 36° 30'. The result of this compromise was simply

to postpone the settlement of the slavery question, and for thirty years (521) no further trouble arose directly over the admission of free or slave States. Missouri became a State August Ioth, 1821.

Illinois, the third State in rank of population, was the third of the "Northwest" States to be admitted. In 1810 the population of the territory was about twelve thousand, while, eighty years later, it was nearly four million. In 1895 its population was more than four and a half millions. The city of Chicago had, in 1830, a population of ten families, and in 1896, after a period of sixty-six years, it vies with New York for first place, with nearly a million and a half inhabitants. Illinois is one of the great cereal-producing States, and possesses very rich soil throughout its whole extent. The manufacturing industries of the State rank well with any of the older States. The excellent location of Chicago makes it the centre of great commercial activity. The northern section of the State is more thickly covered with railroads than any other section of equal size in the world.

449. The Monroe Doctrine. - During the early part of this century the various Spanish colonies on the American continent, influenced by the example of the United States, threw off the yoke of Spain, and, before 1822, had become independent States. Spain was unable alone to bring them back to their allegiance, but attempted to prevail upon other European nations to aid her. President Monroe decided to make a protest that Europe should not interfere in American affairs. He sent a message to Congress, in which he said "that the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintained, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers," and that, in matters relating to America, "we could not