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Major causes of the war

• Final stages of the war and the aftermath

What led to the War of 1812?

How did the war of 1812 end, did the war of 1812 have popular support, what role did native americans play in the war of 1812, what were the war of 1812’s lasting effects.

War of 1812

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• HistoryNet - War Of 1812
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• War of 1812 - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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• Table Of Contents

The commercial restrictions that Britain’s war with France imposed on the U.S. exacerbated the U.S.’s relations with both powers. Although neither Britain nor France initially accepted the U.S.’s neutral rights to trade with the other—and punished U.S. ships for trying to do so—France had begun to temper its intransigence on the issue by 1810. That, paired with the ascendance of certain pro-French politicians in the U.S. and the conviction held by some Americans that the British were stirring up unrest among Native Americans on the frontier, set the stage for a U.S.-British war. The U.S. Congress declared war in 1812.

Peace talks between Britain and the U.S. began in 1814. Britain stalled negotiations as it waited for word of a victory in America, having recently committed extra troops to its western campaign. But news of their losses at places like Plattsburgh , New York, and Baltimore , Maryland, paired with the duke of Wellington’s counsel against continuing the war, convinced the British to pursue peace more genuinely, and both sides signed the Treaty of Ghent in December 1814. The final battle of the war occurred after this, when a British general unaware of the peace treaty led an assault on New Orleans that was roundly crushed.

The War of 1812 had only mixed support on both sides of the Atlantic. The British weren’t eager for another conflict, having fought Napoleon for the better part of the previous 20 years , but weren’t fond of American commercial support of the French either. The divisions in American sentiment about the war similarly split, oftentimes along geographic lines: New Englanders, particularly seafaring ones, were against it. Southerners and Westerners advocated for it, hoping that it would enhance the U.S.’s reputation abroad, open opportunities for its expansion, and protect American commercial interests against British restrictions.

Native Americans had begun resisting settlement by white Americans before 1812. In 1808 the Shawnee brothers Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa began amassing an intertribal confederacy comprising indigenous groups around the Great Lakes and the Ohio River valley. In 1812 Tecumseh tightened his relationship with Britain, convincing white Americans that the British were inciting unrest among northwestern tribes. British and intertribal forces took Detroit in 1812 and won a number of other victories during the war, but Tecumseh was killed and his confederation was quashed after Detroit was retaken in 1813. Creek tribes continued to resist from 1813 onward, but they were suppressed by Andrew Jackson ’s forces in 1814.

Although neither Britain nor the U.S. was able to secure major concessions through the Treaty of Ghent , it nevertheless had important consequences for the future of North America. The withdrawal of British troops from the Northwest Territory and the defeat of the Creeks in the South opened the door for unbounded U.S. expansionism in both regions. The treaty also established measures that would help arbitrate future border disputes between the U.S. and Canada, perhaps one reason why the two countries have been able to peaceably share the longest unfortified border in the world ever since.

War of 1812 , (June 18, 1812–February 17, 1815), conflict fought between the United States and Great Britain over British violations of U.S. maritime rights. It ended with the exchange of ratifications of the Treaty of Ghent .

The tensions that caused the War of 1812 arose from the French revolutionary (1792–99) and Napoleonic Wars (1799–1815). During this nearly constant conflict between France and Britain , American interests were injured by each of the two countries’ endeavours to block the United States from trading with the other.

American shipping initially prospered from trade with the French and Spanish empires, although the British countered the U.S. claim that “free ships make free goods” with the belated enforcement of the so-called Rule of 1756 (trade not permitted in peacetime would not be allowed in wartime). The Royal Navy did enforce the act from 1793 to 1794, especially in the Caribbean Sea , before the signing of the Jay Treaty (November 19, 1794). Under the primary terms of the treaty, American maritime commerce was given trading privileges in England and the British East Indies , Britain agreed to evacuate forts still held in the Northwest Territory by June 1, 1796, and the Mississippi River was declared freely open to both countries. Although the treaty was ratified by both countries, it was highly unpopular in the United States and was one of the rallying points used by the pro-French Republicans , led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison , in wresting power from the pro-British Federalists , led by George Washington and John Adams .

After Jefferson became president in 1801, relations with Britain slowly deteriorated, and systematic enforcement of the Rule of 1756 resumed after 1805. Compounding this troubling development, the decisive British naval victory at the Battle of Trafalgar (October 21, 1805) and efforts by the British to blockade French ports prompted the French emperor, Napoleon , to cut off Britain from European and American trade. The Berlin Decree (November 21, 1806) established Napoleon’s Continental System , which impinged on U.S. neutral rights by designating ships that visited British ports as enemy vessels. The British responded with Orders in Council (November 11, 1807) that required neutral ships to obtain licenses at English ports before trading with France or French colonies. In turn, France announced the Milan Decree (December 17, 1807), which strengthened the Berlin Decree by authorizing the capture of any neutral vessel that had submitted to search by the British. Consequently, American ships that obeyed Britain faced capture by the French in European ports, and if they complied with Napoleon’s Continental System, they could fall prey to the Royal Navy.

The Royal Navy’s use of impressment to keep its ships fully crewed also provoked Americans. The British accosted American merchant ships to seize alleged Royal Navy deserters, carrying off thousands of U.S. citizens into the British navy. In 1807 the frigate H.M.S. Leopard fired on the U.S. Navy frigate Chesapeake and seized four sailors, three of them U.S. citizens. London eventually apologized for this incident, but it came close to causing war at the time. Jefferson, however, chose to exert economic pressure against Britain and France by pushing Congress in December 1807 to pass the Embargo Act , which forbade all export shipping from U.S. ports and most imports from Britain.

The Embargo Act hurt Americans more than the British or French, however, causing many Americans to defy it. Just before Jefferson left office in 1809, Congress replaced the Embargo Act with the Non-Intercourse Act, which exclusively forbade trade with Great Britain and France. This measure also proved ineffective, and it was replaced by Macon’s Bill No. 2 (May 1, 1810) that resumed trade with all nations but stipulated that if either Britain or France dropped commercial restrictions, the United States would revive nonintercourse against the other. In August, Napoleon insinuated that he would exempt American shipping from the Berlin and Milan decrees. Although the British demonstrated that French restrictions continued, U.S. Pres. James Madison reinstated nonintercourse against Britain in November 1810, thereby moving one step closer to war.

Britain’s refusal to yield on neutral rights derived from more than the emergency of the European war. British manufacturing and shipping interests demanded that the Royal Navy promote and sustain British trade against Yankee competitors. The policy born of that attitude convinced many Americans that they were being consigned to a de facto colonial status. Britons, on the other hand, denounced American actions that effectively made the United States a participant in Napoleon’s Continental System.

Events on the U.S. northwestern frontier fostered additional friction. Indian fears over American encroachment coincidentally became conspicuous as Anglo-American tensions grew. Shawnee brothers Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa ( The Prophet ) attracted followers arising from this discontent and attempted to form an Indian confederation to counteract American expansion. Although Maj. Gen. Isaac Brock , the British commander of Upper Canada (modern Ontario), had orders to avoid worsening American frontier problems, American settlers blamed British intrigue for heightened tensions with Indians in the Northwest Territory. As war loomed, Brock sought to augment his meagre regular and Canadian militia forces with Indian allies, which was enough to confirm the worst fears of American settlers. Brock’s efforts were aided in the fall of 1811, when Indiana territorial governor William Henry Harrison fought the Battle of Tippecanoe and destroyed the Indian settlement at Prophet’s Town (near modern Battle Ground, Indiana). Harrison’s foray convinced most Indians in the Northwest Territory that their only hope of stemming further encroachments by American settlers lay with the British. American settlers, in turn, believed that Britain’s removal from Canada would end their Indian problems. Meanwhile, Canadians suspected that American expansionists were using Indian unrest as an excuse for a war of conquest.

Under increasing pressure, Madison summoned the U.S. Congress into session in November 1811. Pro-war western and southern Republicans ( War Hawks ) assumed a vocal role, especially after Kentucky War Hawk Henry Clay was elected speaker of the House of Representatives . Madison sent a war message to the U.S. Congress on June 1, 1812, and signed the declaration of war on June 18, 1812. The vote seriously divided the House (79–49) and was gravely close in the Senate (19–13). Because seafaring New Englanders opposed the war, while westerners and southerners supported it, Federalists accused war advocates of expansionism under the ruse of protecting American maritime rights. Expansionism, however, was not as much a motive as was the desire to defend American honour. The United States attacked Canada because it was British, but no widespread aspiration existed to incorporate the region. The prospect of taking East and West Florida from Spain encouraged southern support for the war, but southerners, like westerners, were sensitive about the United States’s reputation in the world. Furthermore, British commercial restrictions hurt American farmers by barring their produce from Europe. Regions seemingly removed from maritime concerns held a material interest in protecting neutral shipping. “Free trade and sailors’ rights” was not an empty phrase for those Americans.

The onset of war both surprised and chagrined the British government, especially because it was preoccupied with the fight against France. In addition, political changes in Britain had already moved the government to assume a conciliatory posture toward the United States. Prime Minister Spencer Perceval ’s assassination on May 11, 1812, brought to power a more moderate Tory government under Lord Liverpool . British West Indies planters had been complaining for years about the interdiction of U.S. trade, and their growing influence, along with a deepening recession in Great Britain, convinced the Liverpool ministry that the Orders in Council were averse to British interests. On June 16, two days before the United States declared war, the Orders were suspended.

Some have viewed the timing of this concession as a lost opportunity for peace because slow transatlantic communication meant a month’s delay in delivering the news to Washington. Yet, because Britain’s impressment policy remained in place and frontier Indian wars continued, in all likelihood the repeal of the Orders alone would not have prevented war.

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The War of 1812, Research Paper Example

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The independence of United States was established and recognized by the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Even though the US was now free from the British Empire, there was some source of contention for obvious reasons. As expected the US, just like Britain desired expansion and the acquisition of land expansion. Free trade was also desired by the US with France, who had been warring with Britain. The United States needed to establish trade and also continued trading with Britain, however there were numerous problems. The British Empire was willing to trade with the U.S., but it was only if it was in their best interest. Of course Britain was not pleased with the United States attempts to establish and maintain trade with France and this became primarily problematic during the French and Indian War. 1 During this time Britain moved to block the trade of France in order to weaken their government. Through their attempts, Britain began seizing American naval ships involved in trade, which further hindered the relationship causing additional strain. The navy was reporting that British ships were hindering in their trade attempts with other areas, by hovering and having a bully like mentality on the seas. This was possible because Britain had the manpower to do so and could position themselves in harbors and at possible trade points. [1] This type of behavior made it increasingly obvious that the British Empire was working toward their good and interactions were not always conducive for America’s best interest. The Embargo of 1807 was enacted by President Jefferson in attempts to avoid war. The Embargo was aimed at reducing the amount of conflict on the open seas regarding free trade.

While it was meant to cease difficulties, it actually led to financial problems that quickly became an unpopular hit to the economy.

The already difficult economy fell in 1808, which ended thousands of sailor’s jobs, hurt shipping employment and even increased criminal smuggling activity. [2] This not only displaced many and left ships sitting idle, it also hurt moral and caused the public to further blame the British Empire. Now in a slumped economy, jobless and already scorned this made the situation even more difficult. This coupled with the continued seizing of naval ships and attempting to sabotage the military, created tension that could no longer be ignored. One of the final acts was the sabotage of the USS Chesapeake in 1807, where several of the seamen were impressed. [3] There was much causality during this attack and the US. Sailors were forced to succumb to the British, once again.

Military Strength & Economy Of The Time

Because the United States had separated in 1783, the military was not considered a super power at that point. While the time between 1783 and 1812 there was a formation of the services, it was the War Of 1812 that truly began the importance of and training of military forces. The mere factor of geographical distance and mass sea made it difficult to prepare for needed training and equipment. To this time in history there was very little standardized formation, training or even military equipment which posed difficulty. The fact that the British Empire had sieged numerous ships and sailors also created a disadvantage. 3 This was especially true because the British military had a greater supply of equipment and funds; however their struggle for manpower was the primary reason for impressing U.S. sailors. To assist the military engaged in espionage and even used codes written in invisible inks for communication attempts. The codes were easy to break and without a complex source of communication it hindered messages, and slowed the delivery messages.

In light of this situation, many of the U.S. Generals would use men on horseback to deliver messages, and even Indian scouts to assist in military networking. The intelligence to engage Indian scouts assisted in knowledge and even gave an advantage because of the Indian’s knowledge of the land, language and in many cases the habits of the enemy. In many cases the Indian’s were used in warfare by prompting conflict between rival tribes, in attempts to create pressure on the opposition, but weakening aid and support to the British. This form of intelligence did improve the military’s understanding of needs and shortcomings.

The War Hawks Encouraged War

A group of young males, known as the War Hawks, were elected to Congress in 1810. The War Hawks were led by Henry Clay and John Calhoun, governmental officials that had a large impact on Congress during this time. Clay was the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which lent itself to some power within decision making about the progression of expansion and war. Most of the War Hawks were made up of young males that primarily came from Western and Southern states, who were primarily dominated by theories of land expansion. [4] This fostered desire to war with Great Britain. Some theorize that because the War Hawks were interested in taking additional Indian Territory, this was the primary reason for the desire to go to war. The underlying theme is assumed to be the perception that Great Britain was supporting many of the Indian tribes which of course fueled the already heated relationship. Even though the Federalists were opposed to war with the British Empire, the public support, influence of the War Hawks and determined President would soon declare a state of war.  

Major Battles Of The War Of 1812

In August of 1812, the mentality was to avenge the loss that had transpired from the British taking US ships and men. Ships would sail in hopes of avenging their previous losses. On the 2 nd of August the U.S. ship, “Constitution”, led by Captain Isaac Hull, yielded fire by the British ship “Guerriere” off coast of Nova Scotia. [5] The U.S. crew was able to take over the Guerriere which would later surrender to the U.S. Constitution. While this success may not have seemed like a large victory, it actually increased morale and sent a message to the British Empire that the blockade was over, and showed improved ship to ship battle. The realization and assistance of morale was shown in the British forbade their ships from engaging in single ship battles, due to the losses such as Guerriere. The importance of this battle was the marked birth of American naval power.

Land expansion was a major factor before and during the War of 1812. The Battle of Horseshoe Bend took place on March 27, 1814 and was in direct result of the Red Stick Indians becoming increasingly frustrated with white settlers moving onto their land. General Andrew Jackson led the battle at the Tallapoosa River. The battle took place in what would be present day Alabama area. The battle was a devastating blow to the Indians, which resulted in 1000 dead and a loss of less than 50 from the troops of General Jackson. 5 This series of raids and fighting led to battles that eventually led to the Indians giving up rights to millions of acres and move further West. This was a tremendous victory as the lands were vast and allowed great economic growth due to cotton, which was a large portion of the economy at this time in history. Because of this battle, General Jackson was considered a hero and would later become the President of the United States. After his election, the Trail of Tears was established because of President Jacksons Removal Bill of the Indians, pushing them into Oklahoma.

The Battle of New Orleans would prove to be the final battle that would stop the fighting of the War of 1812. 6 Again General Jackson led the battle which defeated the British Army while they were attempting to seize New Orleans. The Louisiana Purchase had secured new Orleans and also other territory and had become the property of the United States, which they had right to defend against the British Army. During this time there were several battles that led to the most significant land victory. [6] When the British aimed their attack, the Americans were ready, having artillery in place. About 1200 British soldiers were wounded and the Americans lost only a handful, which was a great victory against the British. Not only did they hold the enemy off of their own territory, they also were able to defeat the Army, which led to the Treaty of Ghent. This Treaty was signed in Ghent, Belgium and the place where both the British and

Americans agreed to stop fighting, and agreed to put the past behind them and move forward. This would cease the fighting and lead the United States to have a more present authority amongst the world powers of the time.

President Madison & The War

James Madison was elected United States President in the election of 1808. The problems between America and Britain were in full swing by this time. President Jefferson had enacted

The Non-Intercourse Act, which was on the verge of expiration, which could lead to an increased difficulty on the high seas. This act was placed back into law, which further restricted trade with Britain. Again this was a fueling fact that increased the tensions and moved a step closer to the War of 1812. President Madison was also working toward land expansion and moving America’s boundaries in Spanish Florida. 6 The expansion attempts and theory created popularity for President Madison, as far as his foreign policy. During this time President Madison pushed for the expansion of the military and seemed to be preparing for war, even at the earliest stages. Even though the United States was ill prepared for a war against Britain, President Madison declared war. Incredibly, the United States was able to fight British force and build their reputation as a stronger force. President Madison was credited with the victories on both land and sea.

Battle Losses Of The War Of 1812

While there was American loss throughout the War of 1812, it paled in comparison to the battle of Lundy’s Lane. This battle was fought on July 25, 1814 and was considered the bloodiest battle. The battle took place on Canadian soil and consisted of several attacks, where the American General Gaines and the British General Drummond exchanged mass attacks. There were 850 casualties on both sides. [7] This happened because British soldiers were occupying positions along the Niagara River. During the 12 hours of hand to hand combat, General Gaines charged the enemy line, which led to heavy casualties. This final act and maneuver of Gaines led to the withdrawal of troops by the United States. The casualties and loss were a large setback for the military, however they would continue on to eventually regain their footing.

The Battle of Chateauguay River took place in October of 1813 and was considered one of the larger setbacks of the United States Military during the War of 1812. General Wade Hampton led a troop of 3000 Americans. [8] This attack was met with much resistance and a well-constructed defense by the enemy. In addition to being ill prepared for the mission, the geographical area lent itself to difficulty because of wooded areas that the American soldiers would have difficulty finding their way through. They would get lost in the area, which facilitated additional causalities. There were a number of American causalities that were attributed to the elaborate defense structure of the opponents and the difficult terrain. This loss for the Americans was not a great deal of bloodshed; and actually helped Canada establish their Nationalism, which was a source of wounded pride for the Americans.

Who Won The War Of 1812 & What Was Gained

The ending of the War of 1812 came with the Treaty of Ghent and agreeable cease fighting. While both the British and Americans suffered loss, they also both had some gains. There was no true “winner” in this war, because the Americans, like the British were able to retain their military structure. The Americans however did have significant changes as they were able to strength their military power and hold back the British. This was something that was relatively new and in the beginning of the war, the Americans were not formally established as a strong power. Through the battles, much was learned and they proved to themselves as well as the rest of the world that they were a force to be reckoned with when it came to national security and defense.

While there were no geographical changes or even new policies that were created, there were some differences that assisted the United States as a whole. The relationship and fear of the Indians was put to rest through the war, which assisted in expansion as well as reducing feelings of threat. Honor was developed and fostered through this war, because the United States was now seen as a super power that was to be respected and even feared. 8 Even though there were no clear cut winners of the war, it did establish the fact that America could hold their own and would not back away from confrontation. The factors that lead to the war had ceased and the British Empire was no longer taking over U.S. ships or capturing seaman, which was a positive. The Treaty of Ghent was signed, which noted that the United States existed and Britain agreed to officially give up all claims to the land south of Canada.

Feelings After The War

After the war and the Treaty of Ghent was signed there seemed to be a sense and surge of nationalism. This was the first time that America had been able to stand firmly against the British Empire, and actually be respected in their demands and expansion. This of course created a sense of pride and assisted in building morale as well as a feeling of security within independence. Following the War Of 1812 it became apparent that there was a shortage of farm products that had been caused because of the fighting and attention away from home. In order to rectify the shortages agricultural expansion was began, which drastically changed the economy. The growth not only was good for the overall American economy, but also added jobs for Americans. This was a positive and the added feelings of pride led to a sense of well-being and happiness. The term, “Era of Good Feeling” was commonly used to describe this time and the general attitude of the Americans after the war ended.

In conclusion, the War of 1812 was a necessary war that led to a number of positive events. While it is important to remember those that were lost and not discredit their service, it is essential to understand the worldwide impact of the war. The British were attempting to regain and show their power over America, by means of illegal acts. They continued to occupy areas along the Canadian border, which was a violation of the Treaty of Paris. Along with occupying unauthorized property they also were hindering the land expansion of America, as well as engaging in battle on the seas. Even though America was far from ready, the actions and bullying mentality could not be ignored. If it would have been ignored, the prosperity and strength of America could have likely been jeopardized. This war is where America gained her name of a world power and established a strong military stance. Without that taking place it could have changed the course of history, and allowed for others to continue inappropriate actions, which would have hurt America’s progress.

Bibliography

Borneman, Walter H. (2004), 1812: The War that forged a nation , New York: HarperCollins.

Callo, Joseph. “1812 Victory at Sea.” Military History 27, no. 6 (March 2011): 36-41.

“Digital History.” Jeffersonian Republicanism . Digital History, May 2006. Web. 08 May 2012 <http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=19>.

Gilje, Paul A. “Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights”: The Rhetoric of the War of 1812.” Journal Of The Early Republic 30, no. 1 (Spring2010 2010): 1-23.

Hickman, Kennedy. “An Introduction To The War of 1812.” The Address Bar . Web <http://www.techuser.net/bookmarks/urlbar.html>.

Hooks, Jonathon. 2009. “1812: War with America.” Journal Of The Early Republic 29, no. 4: 732-734.

Hymel, Kevin M. 1999. “Winfield Scott’s long and illustrious career was tarnished by incessant political infighting.” Military History 16, no. 2: 70-72.

Poremba, David Lee. 2011. “1812: The Navy’s War.” Library Journal 136, no. 17: 91.

[1] Davis Lee Porembae. 2011. “1812: The Navy’s War.” Library Journal 136, no. 17: 91.

[2] “Digital History.” Jeffersonian Republicanism . Digital History, May 2006. Web. 08 May 2012. <http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=19>.

[3] Paul Gilje. A. “Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights”: The Rhetoric of the War of 1812.” Journal Of The Early Republic 30, no. 1 (Spring2010 2010): 1-23.

[4] Hooks, Jonathon. 2009. “1812: War with America.” Journal Of The Early Republic 29, no. 4: 732-734.

[5] Kennedy Hickman. “An Introduction To The War of 1812.” The Address Bar . Web. <http://www.techuser.net/bookmarks/urlbar.html>.

[6] Walter Borneman. (2004), 1812: The War that forged a nation , New York: HarperCollins,

[7] Kevin Hymel. 1999. “Winfield Scott’s long and illustrious career was tarnished by incessant political infighting.” Military History 16, no. 2: 70-72.

[8] Joseph Callo. “1812 Victory at Sea.” Military History 27, no. 6 (March 2011): 36-41.

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The War of 1812 for The USA

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The War of 1812 Impacts on the United States Essay

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The War of 1812 was a bloody conflict that was fought between the meager forces of the U.S. and the supreme power of Great Britain and being the Second American War for Independence, it goes down in history as it will not be forgotten. The war was fought from June 1812 and it climaxed in the spring of 1815 with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, although the battle failed to solve the issues that had made it to take place.

The mainland battle during the warfare took place along the Canadian border. In addition, the opposing forces also engaged in extensive actions at the sea. Since the U.S. decided to enter the war with confused goals and divided allegiances, these failures have made the war to be sometimes called “America’s worst-fought war.”

The U.S. instigated the war on the supreme British Empire because of a number of reasons. First, there was growing trade tensions between the U.S. and Britain. Before the war, Britain had established a number of trade restrictions that prevented the U.S. from trading with other countries.

Therefore, the United States challenged these trade limitations as not valid according to the international law. Second, the Americans were addressing their grievances about the continuing impressment of their sailors into the British Navy for manning its ships (Raatma, 6). The U.S. saw that the seizure of its sailors as well as the unwarranted search of its merchant ships contravened its national sovereignty and denied it its ability to control its territorial waters.

Another reason was that the British Empire was thwarting America’s intentions of expansion in the Northwest Territory by giving military assistance to the Native Americans who were confronting the American settlers who had moved to the Northwestern region. This action by Britain further escalated the tensions. Lastly, some historians believe that the U.S. still had some degree of resentment from the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, which they were enthusiastic of taking out on the Great Britain.

Even though the occurrence of the conflict had been preceded by bitter diplomatic disagreements, neither the Americans nor the British had adequate preparations for it. A significant section of the British forces was engaged in other wars elsewhere (Turner, 33). On the other hand, the U.S. was inadequately prepared for the war. The government presumed that the state militias could gain easy victory in Canada and there was no adequate funding for the war.

On July 12, 1812, General William Hull, leading a troop of about one thousand inadequately equipped militia, crossed the Detroit River and assumed the control of the Canadian town of Sandwitch, and about two months later, Hull’s men returned to Detroit and surrendered to British-friendly forces, which cost the U.S. the village of Detroit and most of the Michigan territory.

The conflict involved a show of naval strength. In 1813, the United States forces prevailed in the Battle of Lake Erie in which they took charge of the waters there. Consequently, they interrupted British and native troops in the west from accessing their supplies located in the area. At the Battle of Thames in October 1813, American militia, led by General William Harrison, became triumphant and Tucumseh, the leader of the Native American troops, was murdered which led to the breakdown of his forces.

Another significant event in the war was the “Burning of Washington” by the British forces that led to the sacking of the US Secretary of War. After two years of conflicts, the main reasons for the war had disappeared as neither side had a reason to continue fighting; therefore, this stalemate led to the signing of the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814 that ended the war two months later (Benn, 81).

The War of 1812 had a significant impact on the United States. During the war, the powerful Royal Navy had prevented the U.S. from trading with other countries by blocking much of the coastline. Consequently, since the U.S. could no longer export most of its agricultural products, this assisted in stimulating the establishment of local manufacturing plants.

Before the war, there was division in the U.S. and even in Canada. However, the war helped in uniting the residents of the U.S. as well as the residents of Canada in working together towards the fulfillment of their goals as a nation. The ratification of the treaty that ended the war made Britain to lift its trade restrictions that it had placed on the U.S. In addition, the British Empire no longer seized U.S. sailors.

The Americans won the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815 and this assisted in restoring the American sense of honor among other nations of the world. It made the U.S. to gain respect from other nations. The conflict also validated the fact that the U.S. could be able to stand alone away from European interferences. Notable impact of the war is that it established a long era of peaceful foreign relations between the U.S. and the Great Britain.

Works Cited

Benn, Carl. The war of 1812. Oxford: Osprey, 2002. Print.

Raatma, Lucia. The war of 1812. Minneapolis, Minn.: Compass Point Books, 2005. Print.

Turner, Wesley B. The War of 1812: the war that both sides won. Toronto, Ont.; Tonawanda, N.Y.: Dundurn Press, 2000. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2018, July 30). The War of 1812 Impacts on the United States. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-war-of-1812/

"The War of 1812 Impacts on the United States." IvyPanda , 30 July 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/the-war-of-1812/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'The War of 1812 Impacts on the United States'. 30 July.

IvyPanda . 2018. "The War of 1812 Impacts on the United States." July 30, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-war-of-1812/.

1. IvyPanda . "The War of 1812 Impacts on the United States." July 30, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-war-of-1812/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The War of 1812 Impacts on the United States." July 30, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-war-of-1812/.

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The War Of 1812 Research Paper Examples

Type of paper: Research Paper

Topic: United States , America , War , England , Canada , India , Commerce , Violence

Words: 1100

Published: 12/18/2019

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Introduction

The War of 1812 was fought between United States of America and United Kingdom of Great Britain in the year 1812. Due to its huge significance in the American history, this war is also known as the second American war for liberty. The war is not only important for the United States of America only but it substantially affected England and Canada in the coming years. This paper intends to discuss the war of 1812 along with several related aspects and further discusses the factors which turned out to be the turning points of the war.

On probing the reasons of this war, it becomes clear that the war of 1812 was indispensable due to a number of specially emerged situations. England imposed a number of trade related restrictions on the United States of America in the year of 1907. By these restrictions, England intended to prevent America from involving into any kind of trade with France with which English were at war. This arbitrary step was not only widely criticized in America but they also were agitated due to such sanctions by any external force and they started making their minds to oppose such things in future. Apart from this, Americans and British both were having with some expansion ambitions and this lead them to a war. America wanted its territories expanded while British wanted the sovereignty to Indian states in the region.

Beginning of the War

A war with Great Britain was declared by the Americans due to above said reasons in the June of 1812. The war was fought on the Atlantic Ocean coasts, North American eastern coasts, great lakes, Canadian frontier and territories of southern states. British forces defeated Americans and captured several crucial forts from them in the beginning of the war. Americans probably feared or probably not prepared for such war with British forces. A number of clashes and battles took place in the two parties. Indians were accompanying British while Americans were fighting alone. Several occasions came when both the parties to war considered that they are going to win but turned out at turning point. Americans initially lost several clashes and battles like Fort Mackinac, Fort Detroit, and Fort Dearborn to the British and it was Fort Meigs that gave them some relief .

Turning points of 1812 war

Battle of Fort Meigs The battle of Fort Meigs is also known as the turning point of the 1812 war. The fort was built at the banks of Maumee River as a strategic location to counter the British expedition. The reason of building this fort was to defend their position by the Americans; the fort was very well structured and strongly built. General William Henry Harrison successfully and strategically managed to set up this fort as American defensive spot and results show that it worked for them. All the British efforts to seize the fort were frustrated and Americans remained in the control of their fort for the first time. On 25th April, 1813 British troops in the leadership of Henry Procter, attacked on the fort meigs with British forces and Indian armed men. Seize of fort meigs continued for almost five days but British could not capture the fort like other forts they won previously even after their heavy bombarding and all other efforts. They fought well but Americans got reinforcement when they were fighting with a number of internal odds like lack of water and lack of arms and ammunition inside the fort. The victory of fort meigs paved the way of further successful war operations for the Americans in the 1812 war while it became a nightmare for the British forces after testing a number of victories. They could not capture the fort even after good support from Indians. A huge number of people from both the sides were killed in the war of fort meigs. General Harrison was an experienced man who knew that to stop British from further operations, it is good to set up a defence base first and frustrate the efforts of British lieutenants. British could not capture fort meigs irrespective of their several efforts and this fort became a good strategic location for the Americans in their future expedition.

Battle of Stoney Creek

Battle of Stoney Creek was fought between American and British forces in the June, 1813. In this battle john Harvey and john Vincent lead British forces while john chandler and William winder were leading American forces. English forces attacked the fort during night and managed to enter in the American camp and in a very dramatic war which lasted only one hour, British forces defeated American forces very badly. In this war two American generals and several other army officials were captivated by the British armed forces. This battle was a blow for the Americans but it was a real victory for British. Though there are several people who say that the scene of the war have been certainly different if the American generals were not captivated by the British forces. The significance of the battle of Stoney Creek was felt in subsequent times especially during defence of the regions of Upper Canada. Both the parties suffered a heavy loss in respect of man power. The place has been beautifully developed displaying some memories of the 1812 in the recent times. After having observed the above mentioned discussion, it is good to conclude that the war of 1812 is a significant chapter in the history of America, Canada and Great Britain. Abovementioned events were actual turning points of the 1812 war and played important role in the rest of the war. The 1812 war is one of very few wars that made god relations and established peace in the subsequent times once this war was over. As we can see America and the Great Britain, the two parties of the 1812 war are very close and friendly countries in today times. The effects of the war were significant and results were even more important for the affected countries. Wesley b. turner says it rightly that this war is fought between the two countries but both are the winners.

Works Cited

ARMSTRONG, JOHN. THE WAR OF 1812. New York: George Dearborn, 1836. Coles, Harry L. The War of 1812. London: University of Chicago Press, 1965. Hickey, Donald R. The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict. Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 2012. Turner, Wesley B. The War of 1812: The War That Both Sides Won. Canada: Dundurn Press Ltd, 2000.

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