War of 1812, Part 35: The Baltimore Riots of 1812

The New Nation
Written By Tom Hand

Perhaps the most pro-Republican city in America in 1812 was Baltimore. Despite being in the minority, Alexander Hanson published a spirited Federalist newspaper called the Federal Republican, in which Hanson declared he would use “every constitutional argument and every legal means” to oppose the war recently declared by Republicans in Congress. His comments angered those who congregated in the local pubs, and on June 20, 1812, a mob tore down the building in which the Federal Republican was housed. For several weeks, violence against Federalists continued. Although the violence in Baltimore was the worst the country witnessed, Jeffersonian Republicans across the country shut down newspapers that dared criticize the war or the Madison administration.

Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses the Baltimore riots of 1812 and why they still matter today.

Images courtesy of Digital Maryland, National Gallery of Art, Digital Commonwealth, Library of Congress, New York Public Library, National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, Wikimedia. 

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Tom Hand
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War of 1812, Part 34: Washington in Flames