Exploded Boundaries 1815 to 1826 on page 291.
When the war of 1812 came to an end, the United States economy started to grow at a rapid pace, and its borders grew further south and further west. .
In 1814 British had just won a long and costly war with France and were ready to stop the fighting in America as well. The United States also wanted to end the fighting and the taxation and social division that came with it. Both countries decided to just end the war with the borders staying the same. The treaty was signed in December, but the ship that was bringing the news to America did not leave until February due to bad weather. Because of this delay British forces along the gulf coast that were unaware that a peace deal had already been brokered decided to attack Mobile, and take control of the coast and the rivers, and then try and take New Orleans. The Americans were worried that New Orleans would be vulnerable to falling to the British since it was so far from the East Coast. The theory was that if the British could get control of New Orleans then they would be able to send Soldiers up the Mississippi River, basically surrounding the United States. They also feared that it could bring the Spanish, the Indians, and the enslaved and free African Americans into the war. Andrew Jackson was the Commander in charge of the American forces that were sent to prevent this from happening. He was a Tennessee lawyer, planter and militia leader. When he was 13 years old he joined the Continental Army as a courier. During The Revolution one of his older brothers died after the Battle of Stono Ferry, South Carolina in 1779. Two years after that, him and his other brother were captured by the British. While they were captives a British officer ordered them to clean his boots. They both refused to do it, so the officer struck them with his sword and Andrew's hand was cut to the bone. Because of his ill treatment he had a hatred towards the British until his death.
