War of 1812 Essay

War of 1812 Causes

The early part of the nineteenth century was eventful in United States history because it marked a time when the country was trying to grow from its infancy. The government had been functioning well for almost two decades, the monetary system was gaining the U.S. trading partners overseas, and the military was growing as the U.S. added heavy frigates to their small arsenal. One problem was the country had not truly separated from England in all matters, and many still thought of themselves as quasi-British subjects. Of course, that is the way Britain thought also. The fact that the United States had won its independence did not mean that the British recognized that fact in every way. Although the U.S. was recognized by Britain as a sovereign nation, they did not accept the fact that people who had been born in England were now American citizens. Another issue was with the disputed Northwest territory which is now a part of states from Ohio to Wisconsin. The problems, both maritime and land-based, that the U.S. was having with Britain were all a consequence of how Britain continued to look at the U.S. As a colony rather than the nation that they had become. This paper looks at the issues that caused the U.S. To declare war on Britain, and what effects the war had on America.

The primary reasons for the War of 1812 were all maritime. The United States had first adopted a navy during the Revolutionary War with such famous captains of sloops and small frigates as John Paul Jones. The navy was not a major factor in many of the battles that occurred during that war because the U.S., and every other country realized the superiority of the British navy. The British imposed a blockade at all major U.S. ports that kept the colonists from importing the goods (especially war goods) that were needed on a daily basis. However, the U.S. navy had, with the help of U.S. privateers (some under the control of entrepreneur John Hancock) established itself during the revolution. Since that time the U.S. had built a small amount of heavy frigates with which they projected power in the Atlantic.

Unfortunately, there were two issues that the U.S. had with the British in the oceans. The British and the French were always at war with one another, and the U.S. was neutral in these conflicts. The British parliament enacted laws that made some amount of trade between the U.S. And France illegal. Of course, the laws themselves were illegal, but that did not stop the British from making them. It also did not stop the British from stopping U.S. merchant ships that were going to France (Hickman). This violation of international law was not the biggest grievance that…