War Of 1812 Dbq Essay

During 1812, there were many things going on with Great Britain and America.. The war of 1812 was a little-known historic event which involved the United States of America and Great Britain. It is important for people to know about the war because the war had many major conflicts that were solved. Many people think that the War of 1812 had a big part in U.S. history and that it was a major event in the world. Although, some people may say that the war was irrelevant. The War of 1812 should get more recognition than it deserves.

The War of 1812 was a war that lasted for two years that helped the United States to firmly and officially establish its independence. After finishing with the concern of France, England turned its attention over to the United States. At first, the United States did not want to resort to war and fighting (Doc. B) but rather sort out their issues economically--because England had seized all ships that did not stop in the British port before heading to their other European destinations, Congress passed the Embargo Act and then the Non-Intercourse Act, allowing trade with all nations except France and England. Then, England refused to allow this trade to occur, so America had to resort to war. The Northeastern Federalists were not in favor of

On June 1. 1812, President James Madison submitted a war message to the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States. This message Madison submitted describes how the British have been violating the American flag. It also in tells how the British violated neutrality rights in United States. The Americans also complained of dealing with British ships in American waters. The Americans were angry of the seizure of the American sailors to join the Royal Navy. Madison believed this war would help to protect American ships on the high seas. He believed it to stop the British from impressing United States sailors. President Madison also wanted to stop Britain from having alliances with the Native Americans. Madison hoped to increase the size of the United States by gaining control of Canada and Florida. Because Madison’s War Message did reflect the reality of what was happening between the British and the Americans. His message was approved for the United States to declare war against Great Britain.

However, Great Britain refused to recognize the French Republic due to the beheading of the monarch. England’s acknowledgement of France would display agreeance in the beheading and doing so would inspire radicals within the empire to follow the example of the French. The confrontation that develops between France and Great Britain will cause the United States to declare war. This essay will examine the views of those in favor for the War of 1812 and those opposed.

The war of 1812 was caused by several different reasoning’s. First, Britain was at war with France. However, Britain did not want the United States to provide France with food and supplies. This would lead to Britain setting up a particle blockade. Second, between the years of 1802 and 1803 the British had captured (kidnapped) about 6,000 American sailors forcing them to work on British ships. Third, many of the American settlers believed that the British were stirring up the Native resistance to limit settlement. Finally, members of congress like Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun had started to sire up about the ideal of war. This was based off of their resentment towards British violation of maritime rights and Britain’s encouragement of Native American hostility against American expansion in the West.

On June 1, 1812, the United States’ fourth President James Madison signed a declaration of war against Britain approved by Congress. This is obscurely known as the War of 1812, which was also the first war of the 19th century and lasted from 1812 to the spring of 1815. The War of 1812 is widely known as the “forgotten war” because the war has left very little to the popular memory. Despite the opposition from an entire region, mainly the Federalists, of the United States for the War of 1812, there were many reasons for the United States to commence the war. The War of 1812 was caused by numerous reasons including British impressment of American sailors and their refusal to acknowledge American neutrality rights, the United States’ widespread belief the British were encouraging Indian rebellion, the actions of some newly-elected Congressmen dubbed the “War Hawks,” and the American desire for more land.

For many years Great Britain and France violated the United States’ neutral shipping rights by confiscating American ships and impressing American sailors. Impressment was the practice of removing sailors and requiring them to serve the Royal Navy by force. The Chesapeake incident on June 22, 1807 made America realize something had to be done. The HMS Leopard, an English naval vessel, requested permission to board the Chesapeake, a smaller American naval vessel, to search the sailors for Royal Navy. The commander of the Chesapeake denied permission to the HMS Leopard, at which point the HMS Leopard opened fire on the Chesapeake resulting in killing three, injuring eighteen and impressing four American soldiers. Because of this incident U.S President Thomas Jefferson, announce the Embargo Act.

The War of 1812 had a strange lack of victors, but to fully comprehend its effects, one must first evaluate the causes of the war. Each nation involved in the war had a very specific set of goals they wished to accomplish. Initially, the United States aimed to stay neutral in the affairs of Britain and France during the Napoleonic Wars until the two rivals attempted to restrict American trade. In an effort to combat this, President Jefferson passed the Embargo Act of 1807, which banned trade with all foreign countries. The act, intending to deprive the world of American trade, backfired and was later replaced with the Non-Intercourse Act to instead ban trade with only Britain and France. America's unwillingness to trade with the two caused tension that was intensified by the British policy of impressment.2 The resulting “anti-British sentiment” was greatly encouraged by the War Hawks, a group led by Henry Clay that supported war with Britain. They ardently pursued the end of impressment due to the Chesapeake-Leopard Incident in which the HMS Leopard boarded the USS Chesapeake, took four prisoners, and executed one thinking that they were British deserters. Once discovering that they were not, Britain returned the

To understand the War of 1812 we have to look at the Napoleonic Wars for it was during this time that both Great Britain and France began to harass American trade ships. The United States attempted to remain neutral; they wanted to have peaceful trade with both countries but France and Great Britain began to restrict American

In fact, during the European embargoes, thousands of American sailors were forcibly impressed by the British because Royal Navy life was so awful and unrewarding it caused British men to desert their own country en masse for the better-paying, better quality life of American maritime. In response to the Chesapeake affair, Jefferson, U.S. president at the time, made the Embargo Act which prevented Americans from trading with any ports outside the United States. The act really hurt American economics and trade and created such uproar in people that it was soon replaced with a more sensible act. The Non-Intercourse act forbade American trade with Britain, France and their colonial allies until their own embargoes were dissolved.

Even before America was a country, the United States and Britain had risen conflicts that would many years ahead. Out of all of the wars and disagreements that have taken place between these two nations, the War of 1812 was no exception. The tension between the United States and Britain had increased in great measure throughout the years as British forces took advantage of the U.S and violated its rights. As a result, the War of 1812 broke out in hopes to end the tension between the two lands. The forces that led Americans to declare war on Britain in 1812 were the impressment of American sailors, the yearning of a stronger country, and the different opinions of the people.

Britain was a major obstruction in regard to the trade between America and other nations. Due to the seizing of American ships, the U.S. felt that it was the proper time to declare war on Britain. This signalled a British instigation of the U.S. in order to

The British were stealing and interfering with American trading rights. They would steal the American vessels from their destined ports and steer them to British ports instead. This occurred because the British did not like that their commerce was not favored during the trading. Along with capturing the vessels, they would also capture the seamen, merchants, and sailors on board of the vessel. They would enslave the seamen.

Britain was imposing on the United States trade while they were left at their weakest point. Along the way, Britain was also capturing United States sailors to join their army, resulting in fighting against their own people in the American Indian battles. This is when Madison really messed up and declared the war proclamation toward Britain. Multiple people wanted nothing to Madison’s decision and failed to support it. While trying to keep up with the war, America kept aiming to fight Britain. Although the Unites States often were forced to admit defeat, they were holding up as well as they could. The war of 1812 continued on, and America was suffering trade loss more and more. It got to the point where “Mr. Madison’s war” had forced the trade to stop, resulting in Britain aiming to manipulate American merchants to trade their good during the war. Britain eventually agreed to negotiate the war, this was the signing of The Treaty of

ames Madison was the President during the War of 1812. Madison opened Macon’s Bill No.2 which stated that American commerce was open to the entire world. Also, this authorized the President to reopen commerce with Great Britain or France. The only stipulation was that these countries had to withdraw their orders again American commerce. Napoleon saw this as a way to trick America and withdrew their orders. He still continued to seize American ships and do many other unlawful things. Madison decided to revive the nonintercourse with Great Britain. This was a mistake because Britain did not end up changing any Orders in Council. This made James Madison angry and he sent a message to Congress letting them know all of horrible things that Great Britain had done to their country.