War of 1812 Causes

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

The United States of America was undertaking a major task in setting out to conduct its first war after the drafting of the Constitution. The British Empire had encroached just too far for President Madison, and the waterways in which the United States depended were threatened by British naval vessels repeatedly. There were three stated causes to the beginning of the War of 1812, and each of them has to do with specific problems that the British had put into place before the Americans.

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.

As you can see there were multiple causes of the War of 1812. One main cause was because Great Britain had full power over most of Canada and Americans wanted them to leave so they could expand the United States. Another cause would be because the trade ban by Britain and France proceeded in the capturing of American ships. Lastly, because, Great Britain had begun to stop American ships and forced the people on the ships to join the British Navy. The United

The War of 1812 was declared by United States on Great Britain because they were impressing American Sailors and blocked any trade with France. Canada and the Native Americans joined the British in the war. Donald Fixico, an Arizona State Professor wrote “A Native's Perspective on the War of 1812” where he states how the death of the leader of the Native American confederation and war icon Tecumseh, ruined any chance of the Native Americans pushing the US back in expanding into their territory. After Tecumseh died, the British abandoned the Natives which really gave them no chance to defending themselves against the American push west. Fixico goes on about how a strong leader like Tecumseh played a huge role for the Natives. After he died the Americans kept expanding west and the Natives couldn’t handle it. Donald Hickey a professor at Wayne State College writes “An American Perspective on the War of 1812” where he states that the war was started over how the US couldn’t trade with any European country and Great Britain kept impressing American sailors. Hickey explains how the foreign policy of Great Britain irritated the US and caused a declaration of war which helped the US gain land at the end of the

The War of 1812 was caused by the many conflicts with Great Britain and France. Even though the United States had made many efforts to stay out of the Napoleonic Wars, the conflict was not avoided. The United States had three primary reasons for declaring war: impressments and violations of trading rights, Indian conflicts, and a desire for western territory.

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

The harm of trading rights and citizens were one major cause of the War of 1812. Great Britain was known to have been interfering with U.S rights to use the sea. “Great Britain, in defiance of this incontestable right, captures every American vessel bound to, or returning from, a port where her commerce is not favored; enslaves our seamen, and in spite of our, perseveres in these aggressions.” (Document 1) The Americans feared that they would lose all their trading rights to Great Britain. If the American leaders did not do something soon, then Great Britain would take over American trading ports. “… Which shall we do, abandon or defend our own commercial and maritime rights, and the personal liberties of our own citizens employed in exercising them? These rights are essentially attacked, and war is the only means of redress.” (Document 2) For Americans to regain their freedom of trading they had to declare the War of 1812.

The War of 1812 is often referred to as the United States's second war of independence because, like the Revolutionary War, it was fought against Great Britain. The Conflict resulted from the clash between American nationalism and the war Britain and its allies were waging against the empire of Napoleonic France. Many Americans believed that England sought to humiliate the United States, limit its growth, and perhaps even impose a quasi‐colonial status upon its former colonies.

(Document 2). This quote shows why America declared war on Great Britain. America declared war because they wanted all of the people to be treated well. Others should treat the Americans by following the golden rule. Britain was not treating America with respect and they were hurting and taking away the rights of many people.

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.

Following multiple years of possible war, the Americans felt that by 1812 it was obligatory to declare war on Britain. This executive decision was supported by numerous causes of which assisted in the buildup of the war. The breakout of this war was not completely unexpected as there had been rising tension between the two nations. America declared war on Britain in 1812 due to the capturing of ships by the British, the effort to conquer Canada, as well as the conjoining of the country.

The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were a period of constant war within North America. From the Seven Years War of 1754 to American Revolution of 1775 and the war of 1812, just to name a few. The War of 1812 is, however, the most peculiar of them all. It was imposed by Madison upon a nation that was unenthusiastic and hesitant to fight.The main reasons that led to the declaration of the war were led by a motivation to preserve and maintain national honour in face of what Americans considered British insults. The British wanted to restrict the American trade with Napoleonic France, which was of highly profit, that America won in a long conflict against them. The British Navy seized American ships and American sailors