The War Of 1812 Dbq Essay

In the twenty-three years between 1789 and 1812, the United States was drastically shaped both politically and socially. The Constitution had just been ratified but left many gaps that the new government needed to fill. The Bill of Rights was added, the role of the President was further established and the powers of the judiciary branch as well as legislative branch were explored. During this era, the United States had four presidents, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Each president shaped this country not only with policies impacting the United States but also foreign affairs. Although, America gained independence from Britain with the help of the French, the future of the United States was still deeply rooted in the actions of …show more content…
In 1806, the British issued the Order of Council. This declared that any ships going to French ports must first stop at a British port. The French disagreed with this and began seizing all ships, including American ships. The British were also seizing the American ships that didn’t first stop at a British port. The British also continued to impress people into the British Royal Navy. It is estimated that around 6,000 US citizens were forced to join with the British between 1808 and 1811. The mistreatment, from both the British and the French angered the Americans. Thomas Jefferson struck back by cutting off all exports to France and Britain, including the raw materials that Europe needed. Congress passed the Embargo Act in 1807, stopping all trade with all nations. The Embargo Act barely impacted the French and the British but devastated the American economy. In order to fix this, Congress passed the Non-Intercourse Act in 1809, which open trade with all nations except France and England. A combination of these events would eventually lead to the War of 1812 but at the time, the American foreign policy saved the country from total war and