The war of 1812 was fought between the Americans and the British and it stretched over 2 years. It went on from June 18, 1812, and ended in a stalemate, without a clear winner, on December 24, 1814. The forces that led the Americans to declare war on Great Britain was because was the British were impressing US sailors, they were seizing American trade ships, and because Britain was arming Native Americans in the West, and using them to their advantage against the United States. The first reason that led the Americans to declare war on Great Britain was because they were impressing US Navy sailors. Since Britain was fighting two wars at once, on in Europe against Napoleon and one in North America against the United States, they were in desperate …show more content…
Before the War of 1812 began, Britain was already fighting Napoleon in Europe. The United States was neutral at the time, and traded with both England, and France. In efforts to break down France’s supply system, Britain started to seize American trade ships headed to the ports of France. In doing so, while they were hurting France, they were also hurting American commerce and economy. In addition, Britain was doing this at the cost of US sailors on the trade ships. According to the Committee of Foreign Relations of the U.S House of Representatives, “...the United States … claim the right to use the ocean, which is the common and acknowledged highway of nations, for the purpose of transporting, in their own vessels, the products of their own soil”. They are saying that, like any other independent country, the United States has a right to use the ocean to trade. The report also explains, “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. [For example, American vessels headed to France] … and in spite of our [complaints and protests], perseveres in these aggressions.” When Britain continued to seize American vessels after complaints and protest, it angered the people of …show more content…
According to the textbook, “America’s Past and Promise”, even before the War of 1812 began, Britain was arming Native Americans in the West to hinder the American settlers trying to push to the western lands. The relationship between the Natives and the Americans was not good to begin with, since the Americans were trying to take the Natives’ land. Britain took advantage of this and started to give the Natives weapons to use against the United States. This of course didn’t sit well with congress and the citizens of the United States. Also, Britain, with adequate warning, continued to do this. This was another force that led the Americans to declare war against
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
In the early 19th century, Britain and France were engaged in a life-or-death struggle. After much war through the years, France dominated a lot of Europe, though Britain was the ruler of the seas. When it became obvious that neither side was likely to win a decisive military contest, the warring nations turned to commercial warfare: Britain tried to blockade all of Europe, and France attempted to prevent the sale of British goods in their possession(http://gatewayno.com/history/War1812.html, War of 1812). During the 1790s, French and British maritime policies produced several crises with the United States, but after 1803 the difficulties became much more serious. In November of 1807, Britain issued a trade regulation called an Order in Council, which compelled all neutral ships to either call at British ports or be subject to a search by British authorities. A month later, Napoleon decreed
Leading up to 1812, many conflicts occurred that lead up to the War of 1812. After gaining independence from Great Britain, the United States was still not acknowledged as a country. The nation was being treated as if it were still a British colony. The most apparent reasons for the War of 1812 were the French Blockade, Impressment, British-Indian Alliances, and War Hawks. The war of 1812 was the result of many built up tensions between the United States and Great Britain after America’s independence.
When the war began, it was being fought by the Americans to address their grievances toward the British. This seemed like a justifiable cause for a war, however not all of the citizens shared the same sense of unity about
The War of 1812 was started by America due to British encroachment on three fronts, trade restrictions imposed by the British, the increasing alliances of the British with Indian tribes blocking American expansion West, and due to British interference with merchant class ships in the Atlantic. The war was fought in the Great Lakes region between America and Canada, near New Orleans in the Gulf of Mexico, in the Atlantic trade routes, and around Washington DC. The British had always considered the American insurrection in the 1770s to be a temporary event, their continued battles within the European continent as well as the rest of the British empire had proven to be too distracting to keep a solid check on North America. The British also had not anticipated a war in North America in the lead up to the war of 1812 due to the fragility of the American states, leading to the hubris Britain retained in its relations with the young United States of America.
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 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.
The War of 1812 was a war fought between 1812 and 1815, between the United States and Britain. There are many factors that led to this war of independence. One of the main causes is impressment. Many British officials were hijacking U.S. ships and kidnapping the sailors onboard, forcing them to serve in the Navy
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 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
As a matter of fact, the War of 1812 had many of the same attributes as the Revolutionary War, which gained America its Independence. Also, the War of 1812 was primarily fought between the British and Americans who also fought against each other in the Revolutionary War causing the two wars to be closely associated with each other. These wars have other similarities including the consequences received. Document four states the War of 1812 has been the only time since the Revolutionary War that a foreign power has captured and occupied the United States capitol. Both parties during both of the Wars had similar motives. The American´s were tired of the way the British were treating them so they decided to declare war. The AMerican´s motive was to gain some sort of respect and freedom from the British while the British wanted to demonstrate power over the United States and take advantage of them. The Americans gained some Independence and respect from the British after the War of 1812. The Americans showed their authority and managed to keep the British out of their business and denied them the chance to cause any more trouble. This war confirmed that America was now completely Independent from
United States declared war on Britain in 1812; America did so because Britain was refusing to allow America to use the ocean that they did not own. Document two supports my claim by stating “which shall we do, abandon or defend our own commercial and maritime rights” this shows that Britain was taking away our commercial and maritime rights (trading through the seas).
America may have gained independence from Great Britain in 1776, but they were still having complications with them in the early 1800s. The problems’ solution resulted in the War of 1812. There were many different causes and effects to this war on a few nations. America declared war on Great Britain for many reasons.
The alliance with France was threatening the United States into being drawn into a war. Both nations violated the United States’s trading rights, so Jefferson called for a total embargo on U.S. trading. However, the embargo failed to force European powers to respect American rights, and instead, harmed America’s economy. President Madison came up with the decision to declare war on Great Britain after three years of failed efforts. The main cause of the War of 1812 is the violation of American trading rights and to protect American citizens from further maritime aggression.