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The War of 1812
The American declaration of war from June 18, 1812.

The American declaration of war from June 18, 1812.

TWELFTH CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES;

At the First Session,

Begun and held at the city of Washington, in the territory of Columbia, on Monday the fourth day of November, one thousand eight hundred and eleven.

AN ACT declaring war between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the dependencies thereof, and the United States of America and their territories.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That war be, and the same is hereby declared to exist between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the dependencies thereof, and the United States of America and their territories; And that the President of the United States is hereby authorized to use the whole land and naval force of the United States … to carry the same into effect; And to issue to private armed vessels of the United States Commissions or Letters of Marque and General Reprisal, in such form as he shall think proper and under the seat of the United States, against the vessels, goods and and effects of the Government of the said United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the subjects thereof.

June 18, 1812

approved

James Madison

H Clay, Speaker of the House of Representatives

Wm H. Crawford, President of the Senate, pro tempore

I certify that this act did originate in the House of Representatives

Patrick [[object Object]], Clerk

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Citation Information
“Act of June 18, 1812, 2 STAT 755, Declaration of War with Great Britain, War of 1812,” Digital Public Library of America, https://dp.la/item/167ff2ec7451125518c30b225b919344.
Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.
Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.

Tips for Students

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Item 5 of 14 in the Primary Source Set The War of 1812

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An image of a council between William Henry Harrison and Native American leaders, including Tecumseh, August 1810.
An excerpt from evidence provided before Parliament by a British “woolen manufacturer” opposed to the British Orders in Council of 1807.
An excerpt from an explanation of the British Orders in Council, published in 1812.
An excerpt from an 1804 letter from James Madison, Secretary of State, to James Monroe, about British impressment of American sailors.
The American declaration of war from June 18, 1812.
An image of Fort George from Fort Niagara, 1813.
An 1814 image with the title “Naval Heroes of the United States.”
An 1813 poem celebrating Oliver Hazard Perry’s naval victory on Lake Erie.
A medallion commemorating the Battle of the Thames on October 5, 1813.
An 1816 description of the Battle of Baltimore and the Battle of New Orleans.
A sheet of music from 1814 with the tune and words to “The Star Spangled Banner.”
Andrew Jackson’s own description, in a letter to James Monroe, of the final conflict of the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815.
An image of the USS Constitution capturing the British ships Levant and Cyane on February 20, 1815.
A letter from Benjamin Hawkins to Georgia Governor Peter Early discussing the Treaty of Ghent and the end of the war, February 26, 1815.

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