1812 War Causes

The 1812, the Unites States declared war on Great Britain. The war lasted from 1812 to 1814, and it was finally settled by the Treaty of Ghent (Tindall, 1954). The causes of the war are still a matter under debate, many years on. However, according to some historians, the issue of neutral rights was at the center of the war (p.343).
One of the main causes of the 1812 war was that the British Navy practiced impressments, while fighting the French. They would kidnap American sailors on the waters of the Atlantic, claiming that they were British citizens who had deserted the British navy. This angered the Americans, stirring controversy. American citizens felt that only war would stop the violation of the rights of their people on the high seas as well as the U.S territorial waters. It is interesting to note that while a majority of the maritime regions of the United States voted against the deceleration of the 1812 War, the …show more content…
At the time, Canada was a British colony, hence triggering war between the two states. The 1812 War was not only fought in the great lakes, but also on the Canadian frontier. The course of the war also included the Atlantic Ocean, the east coast of North America, as well as the southern states of the United States. Some historians note that both parties were unprepared by the time the war broke out, even though it was preceded by a long period of diplomatic disputes between the two states. For Madison, the decision to seize Canada was envisioned to be a smooth process, followed by amicable negotiations between the two states. The War Hawks were not successful in seizing Canada. The U.S troops were also ill-prepared for the war that ensued. Madison had led the United States into war at a time when it was not financially, or militarily prepared. Even with an additional 10, 000 troops, the United States was bound to get defeated