The War of 1812 was a small war with big consequences and is often overlooked, or considered unimportant. But the War of 1812 is an important part of our history because of not only its consequences, but the events that lead to its declaration. From Napoleon excluding British goods from “Fortress Europe” to the Battle of New Orleans, there are many issues and events of importance that impacted later history. For example, “Jefferson's attempt at "peaceful coercion" resulted in economic disaster for merchants (Feldmeth 1).” in the Embargo Act. In the following essay, I am going to discuss the causes and consequences of the War of 1812 and their importance. To begin with, one of the major American complaints that lead to the war were the British …show more content…
No one necessarily won, but the U.S. had felt as if they won and that’s all that mattered. After 1812, the U.S. not only saw themselves as an independent nation, but as a big player on the worlds stage. “The Americans learned a number of lessons, including the importance of military preparedness and the need to develop the financial and transportation infrastructure to support war (Hickey 1).” The United States kept a well sized peacetime army following the war and carried out major programs to expand its navy and to build coastal fortifications. It also revived the country's central bank and built canals, roads, and bridges. The U.S. Army emerged from the war as a professional service, “and with the U.S. Military Academy moving a constant stream of new recruits into the officer corps (1).”, and the military knew that they would never allow themselves to be as unprepared as they were before the war. The U.S. Navy was already a capable service in 1812, but it too,” emerged with an enhanced commitment to professionalism, and at the end of the war, Congress created the Board of Navy Commissioners to ensure that it retained that commitment …show more content…
For example, “ James Monroe, who served as secretary of state and secretary of war; John Quincy Adams, who served on the peace delegation at Ghent; William Henry Harrison, who engineered the U.S. victory over the Native Americans at Tippecanoe before the war and then the triumph over British and Native American forces at the Battle of the Thames, in present-day Ontario, during the war; and Andrew Jackson, whose success commanding American forces catapulted him into the national limelight and made him a symbol for the entire postwar era (Hickey 1).” The Battle of New Orleans, Jackson’s greatest victory, although it was after the creation of the treaty but before it had been ratified, served as a triumph of war in the eyes of the
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 political issues the war was being fought over. The US was quite upset about the continuing impressment of American sailors into the British Navy and the seizures of American merchant trading vessels by the British. Another reason the United States wished to go to war with Britain was because of their dealings with the Indians in the West. The British were not only trading with the Indians, but they were also giving them weapons and encouraging them to attack American settlements. Along with these reasons, the Americans, now becoming hungry for land, dreamed of capturing British Canada and possibly Florida for the union. Also, the Americans still contained a certain degree of resentment from the Revolutionary War, which they were eager to take out on the British. Even though these were the causes the nation was supposedly fighting for, the entire nation lacked a major driving force to gain restitution for them. The nation was not really united for the cause, as backcountry farmers didn't care about what was happening to coastal shipping businesses, as coastal shipping businesses didn't care about what was happening to the backcountry farmers. Everyone was only concerned with their own problems, and not concerned with the problems facing the nation regarding the situations its citizens were enduring.
The War of 1812 otherwise known as the “Forgotten War”, was a three year military conflict between America, Britain and their Native allies. It was a relatively small war that arguably shaped a continent for centuries to come. Around the time of 1812 there was tension in and around America because of several controversial acts that Britain had passed out. Because of the Napoleonic Wars Britain had a “You are either with us or you are against us”, approach to other nations. However the British did whatever it took to get out of a war however that could not happen because of what they were doing. The British had forgotten America after the war of Independence and didn’t regard them as a powerful Nation. Their focus was on France however America managed to tangle themselves in this conflict between the two Nations by trading with the French. America wanted to make some money off France and had engaged in trade a while back. The British, because of their approach of dealing with other nations, had set up an embargo that made American ships pay a duty to the British before they could trade with the French. They had also engaged in what was called impressment in which they would take men of American ships, if the men had even the most vague connection to Britain they would take them hostage and put them on their own boats to go to war for the British. Theses acts angered the Americans and they wanted to go to war with Britain so a new breed of congress and government were put in place. They were called Warhawks, these men were more aggressive and were known to act before thinking. The Battle of Profits town had most probably been the tipping point for going to war, when Sir Governor William Henry Harrison and his militia had attacked P...
The victory of the War of 1812 was a huge leap toward America becoming its own nation because of the national unity the win provided its citizens. The morale of the citizens lifted greatly because they managed to defeat the greatest military powers of the world and managed to survive. It also proved to the world that the american nation could defend itself from foreign threats. The victory improved America’s self confidence and faith in the military to defend the natiosn freedom and honor.
Question 1: What were the primary grievances of the United States that led to war with Britain?
The relationship between Britain and her Americans colonies slowly deteriorated between the 1750s and the beginning of the American Revolution. When the first British immigrants settled in America, the relationship of the colonies and their mother country was somewhat peaceful. In the following generations, however, their relationship became tenser as Britain imposed policies and taxes on unrepresented American colonists. The British believed they were right in doing so because they had large debts to pay from ongoing wars with France. These taxes caused uprisings among colonists which contributed to British occupation in America, leading to more rebellions. Eventually, the rift in the relationship between the colonists and the British led to the Revolutionary War and the formation of a new country.
The British were the culprits that started this war. The fact that Britain and France were at war highly affected the start of the battle. “…the British were impressing American seaman to help fight the war against Napoleon”. They had been helping the Indians by giving them weapons and helping them “attack the frontier”, they hadn’t left our property and fort...
The first biggest problem was War debt. Due to the fact Britain helped the Colonists win the war. They felt that the colonists should help pay off the debt. They imposed taxes on the Colonists. It was a terrible failure. It created uproar and many people protested and boycotted British goods. One of the biggest events was the Boston Tea Party, where a group of men from the Sons of Liberty boarded a merchant ship and threw all the tea into the ocean. This was to protest the new tax on tea. They were angry they were taxed without a say in the matter and many declared “No taxation without Representation”. Unfortunately, after the Boston Tea party a big new law known as the Intolerable Acts was put into place because the British were very angry at the damage caused at the event. They chose to punish all of
After all, many believe that war with Britain would end the troubles Americans were having with Indians on the frontier. These critics might bring up that the British were arming and inciting the Native American Indians to attack American settlers. It It is true that the British supplied the Native Americans with weapons and incited them to fight Americans was a cause for the war of 1812. However, what these critics don't yet understand is that it wasn't the MAIN cause for the war of 1812. There were many minor causes that led Americans to declare war on Britain in 1812 such as the troubles with the Indians on the frontier ,but the main causes were the impressment of American soldiers and ships and expansion of United States into
The Seven Years War, or more commonly referred to as “The French and Indian War”, has been called the true First World War. In this book The French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America, the author and historian Walter R. Borneman paints a detailed and elaborate picture that justifies the claim of it being the first true war of global proportions. If ever there truly was a climax to the never ending feud of the European powers that be, Borneman would like to suggest that it was The Seven Years War. Beginning roughly in 1754, the author leads us on a path of discovery that truly has no beginning and only a tentative and temporary end. The author describes in great detail the early agitations that both could have and did lead to all out war not only in Europe but throughout their global realms and reaches. Introductions are made to some of the greatest historical figures of that era and those to come, through the extensive work that the author engages in, in an attempt to grant the most detailed and comprehensive book about not only the Seven Years War, but the events that would both lead up to and follow as a result. A MUST read for any true student of history, Borneman goes further in his masterpiece by examining and explaining common misconceptions and theories that have arisen in regards to the period and war. The book truly shines however not simply in the breadth of knowledge that it provides, but also in the manner in which it does so. Borneman masterfully fits all of the many different parts of this book together in a manner that is easily understood. It is no easy feat to cover the sheer number of names, dates and events detailed in this book. Borneman manages to weave in and out of the different faction...
The War of 1812, sometimes referred to as “The Second War of Independence,” was one of the bloodiest, yet most pointless wars in American history. After 32 months of Americans fighting for a change in the relationship between Britain and the U.S., the war ended with a treaty that left many of the original conflicts unresolved. Although the war had no obvious victor, it boosted American nationalism and patriotism, something much needed after only 39 years of independence. However, British interferences with American trade, and the cost of war materials had a negative impact on the United State's economy. America’s geographic location, in relation to Canada and New York, played a key role in defense against British attacks. Whoever gained control of the Niagara peninsula that connected these two territories would have an advantage over the other nation.
The War of 1812 was a war between Britain and the United States fought primarily in Upper Canada. It had many causes, few which involved British North America. The results of the war include the fact that there was no clear winner or loser among them. The only real losers in the situation were the Natives in the region. They were driven out of their lands and customs. None of the borders was changed by the war, though many attempts were made. The Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war, did nothing to advance the state of the countries. It went so far as to end the war and put things back the way that they were, but the main causes of the conflict were not addressed or dealt with. In order to evaluate the significance of this war, Canadian victories and losses, as well as overall results, must be analyzed.
By the 1760's many Americans were beginning to become dissatisfied with their mother nation and were waging a war of resistance against the British colonial government.
...entually were unjustified and reasons manipulated. These factors, with others, caused the war of 1812, which finally put to rest the age old conflict between the British and the United States of America.
One victory that stood apart from others was for the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. The Battle of New Orleans was fought after the War of 1812 technically ended; however, the news of the end of the war was slow to receive so they continued to fight. The British hoped that they would be able to capture New Orleans so that they could separate Louisiana from the rest of the United States but what they did not know was that General Andrew Jackson had already set up more than 4000 troops along the border of the city. The British were not able to even pass through the wall of people and retreated within a half and hour. This victory was incredibly important for Americans because it greatly increased national pride. From then on Jackson was known as a war hero which illuminates Jackson’s support in increasing
The War of 1812 has always been a part of American history not very exiting to learn about for most Americans. It was a tumultuous time for the New Republic and some of the battles of the war shamed the new nation. The War of 1812 did not have the same glorious, honorable, and just cause of the American Revolution. The British made fools of the American people and even burned the Capitol and the White House, the centers of American politics, to the ground. However as shameful as the war was, it also had some good benefits and it demonstrated to Great Britain and the rest of the world that the United States of America was its own sovereign nation, and not some British Sphere of Influence. Although the treaty of Ghent failed to address the important issues that brought the United States to war, the War of 1812 helped the country improve itself internally by way of increased nationalism, greater industrialization and a more stable economy, and an overall safer nation.