114 YEARBOOK, PUBLIC MUSEUM, MILWAUKEE. [Vol. I. 



Surrender of CornwalHs Oct. 19, 1781 



Final Cessation of Hostilities April 19, 1783 



Treaty of Peace Ratified by Congress Jan. 14. 1784" 



PERRY'S VICTORY ON LAKE ERIE 



Sept. 10, 1813 



Causes of the War of 1812 



"During the long struggle between Great Britain and France, 

 under the emperor Napoleon, the commerce of the ne\Yly formed 

 United States had suffered greatly, through prohibitive orders, first 

 from one of these countries and then from the other. 



"Great Britain had been especially exasperating and destructive 

 in her policies toward America and finally on June 23, 1812, war 

 was declared by the United States, though she. with a popula- 

 tion of only 6,000,000 was in a most deplorably unprepared condi- 

 tion, as to finances, army, and navy. 



"She had, however, for years been humiliated by Great Brit- 

 ain's insidiously hostile policies, among which were : 



1. Inciting Indians to hostilities against the United 

 States. 



2. Activities of secret agents trying to disrupt the 

 Union. 



3. Spoilation and plundering of our merchant ships 

 and commerce on every sea and viola ion of rights 

 of neutral trade. 



4. Violation of American jurisdiction within the 

 three-mile limit. 



5. Search of vessels on the high seas and impressment 

 of American citizens into the British service, espe- 

 cially the naval service. 



"It was this right of search and impressment of seamen (about 

 6,000 Americans had been impressed) to which America most 

 strenuously objected and this was the principal issue and cause of 

 the War of 1812, 'The Second War of Independence.' 



"Owing to the fact that Great Britain was at this time fully 

 engrossed in her war with Napoleon, our War of 1812 was short- 

 lived and proved a victory for America. She could ill spare many 



