Robins, Josh
Mr. Sundermeier
World Studies 9
April 8. 2016
The War of 1812
In this essay I will be discussing the major events and battles that took place during the War of 1812. It started in 1812 and lasted until the spring of 1815. There were three main causes for the war taking place, America trading with parts of Europe(France), the Impressment, and the possible desire on the part of the United States to annex Canada, The War of 1812 ended as a stalemate in the spring of 1815. The War of 1812 was a war that never should have been fought.
America Trading With France
The British didn't want America trading especially with France because of a war involving France and Britain that was going on at the time. According to ManyThings.org
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America hated this because the British were literally taking american people and making them fight for someone else.
Why did America want to annex Canada
America wanted to annex Canada because it had a lot of resources that America would have loved to get there hands on the great amount of resources that America could have used. America also wanted to annex canada because it would have been a huge amount of territory gain for america and it would have made America a super country, it would have been a metaphorical spit in the face to Great Britain.
How did the war end?
The war of 1812 ended as a stalemate in 1814 when the downfall of Napoleon allowed the British to distribute more military resources to the war, Washington D.C., fell to the British in August. While In Washington, British troops burned the White House down, and other buildings in retaliation for the earlier burning of government buildings in Canada by the US soldiers. The British soon retreated, and Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor withstood a massive British continuous attack and inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the Star-Spangled
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
The War of 1812, The US saw Great Britain as a major problem because of their definition of "contraband" and the impressment of American sailors into the British Navy. And around this time the "warhawks" are elected to the House of Representatives. They wanted war because the British were supplying the Indian with guns and ammunition and encouraging Indian trouble.
With the American offences being stopped, and heroic men coming forth, Canadian nationalism was on the rise. Since most of the war had been fought in Upper Canada, retaining of the vast majority was as much a moral victory as a material one. The end of the war brought significant immigration from the United States into Upper and Lower Canada. Canadians resented this because they still regarded Americans as the enemy. Being banded together in the War of 1812 forced the people of the Canadas to feel as though they were a unified nation. The English-speaking Canadians could better understand the French-speaking Canadians and vice
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 War of 1812 was fought between the United States and England. Ending in 1815 with the Treaty of Ghent, the war did not accomplish any of the issues it was being fought over. For the US, the War of 1812 seemed to just be one failure after another. Although the military suffered great failure during the war, these were the direct consequence of the failure of the citizens to unite for the causes of the war. Because of these failures, it is quite valid to call the War of 1812 "America's worst-fought war".
felt that that wasn’t the best way to make money. Americans believed in liberty, peace, freedom, love and gratitude. They felt like they were supporting enough revenue back to Britain and that they should be given more
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 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.
For instance, in the fall of 1811 was a victory for the Americans. On the other hand, in July 1812 things did not seem bright for Americans, what occurred was that while the British and Indian forces were aware of the declaration of war lieutenant Porter Hanks was not and when he became aware they were forced to surrender. As a wage of war on Britain the Americans would invade Canada in three places, Detroit, Niagara River, and Montreal. Although things did not go as planned, the U.S troops were lead by William Howe a veteran way past his prime time while Britain was well equipped with the help of Native forces. William Howe led the U.S to a loss. In fact, I learned that when Howe surrendered it was the only time in history that a white flag was raised over an American City before a foreign army. Later during the war the nation’s capital, Washington D.C. was captured and burned. Despite, multiple defeats U.S was able to redeem itself in New York, Baltimore, and New Orleans. The battle in New Orleans was a significant one for the U.S because it’s forging a new identity for America due to the diversity of the army. Their victories boosted their deteriorated confidence and spirit. The war would have to come to an end in February 1815 by the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent. Ultimately, Americans and Britain chose to forget, Canada chose to remember their victory, and Indian Nations remember the war as a
The treaty required that all territory be returned to the country that owned it before the war so in essence, nothing changed. Was there really a winner? The British don't seem to care about this particular war and the Americans insist that they won. Perhaps in hindsight nobody won the War of 1812 but just look what the United States gained from this virtually forgotten war. It is to this war that we owe our patriotism. The War of 1812 saw the first appearance of Uncle Sam, gave us our national anthem and instilled tremendous pride in our national
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.
Aside from the “rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,” and the controversy surrounding its victors, the War of 1812 was best described as “perhaps the least remembered of American wars because it was fought in such a left-handed slapdash manner on both sides.” 1 The War of 1812 took place in a time shortly after the United States declared independence from Great Britain, but with this newfound freedom came some challenges. For example, Britain’s new lack of control over their American lands brought forth some underlying tension when it came to the cases of alliances and international trade. In addition to the pressure caused by Britain’s loss of power, Napoleon’s campaign in Europe piled on even more stress. This conflict escalated, bringing both sides to make foolish, rash decisions that eventually led to a war recognized by few. Though the War of 1812 is considered an American victory, it can be argued that there was no true victor due to a lack of success in achieving any original goals.
The battle had inspired Francis Scott Key to write what is now our national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner” which was originally titled “Defense of Fort McHenry”. The British attempted an attack on Baltimore during the War of 1812. Fort McHenry had over one thousand troops when the bombardment began on September 13th, 1814 under the command of Major George Armistead.
There are many conflicting viewpoints of the war of 1812. Both sides claim it as a victory but only one side can win a war. The war of 1812 isn’t a very well known war throughout the world but it has been a very important one to the countries and people involved. The war was an issue of the U.S. wanting land and seeing an opportunity to have North American Britain while Britain was at war with Napoleon. The U.S. also wanted to trade with everybody as Great Britain was stopping the U.S. from trading with enemies in Europe such as Napoleon. The United States and Great Britain both views The War of 1812 as a victory but in reality the United States did not achieve their goals of the war and Great Britain obtained almost all of their goals with less losses.
Leading up to the war, the Americans had a multitude of reasons for anger towards the British. The wrong done by England that outraged many U.S. citizens was the British's capturing of America's trading vessels and impressing of American sailors. During England's war against Napoleon, France's current dictator, the English army began to grow smaller in numbers, causing the need for more men, which they supplemented by taking America's seamen. Because Britain and France were also at war at the time, neither country wanted trade to exist between America and the enemy, leading to even more captured