A Cause for War
Freedom: The Second War of Independence
The War of 1812
The War of 1812, known as the “Second War of Independence,” was caused by several events between Great Britain and the new United States of America, and it was complicated by both countries’ relationships with France and the Native Americans. The British had been in a long and drawn out war with France and its leader, Napoleon.
France and Great Britain
France and Great Britain had laws in place not to trade with other countries outside of their war, such as the United States. But America was a new and growing country that needed to trade for goods and money, so they worked to find a way to trade by putting in place new laws. One of these laws was called the Embargo Act, signed into law by Thomas Jefferson. But it didn’t help America; it only made matters worse!
They repealed it and tried The Non-Intercourse Act, which banned trade with Great Britain and France, but that backfired and didn’t help America either. Finally, the U.S. tried the Macon Bill which stated that the United States would trade with either France or Great Britain if they dropped their trade restrictions, but then the U.S. would not trade with the opposing power. Napoleon, the leader of France, entertained this idea, which caused President James Madison to block all trade with Britain.
Fighting with the Native Americans
Another issue between America and Britain was caused by the British supporting Native Americans with food, guns, and ammunition. As a young country, the United States was eager to continue expanding their territory by adding land to the north and the west. Canada at that time was a British territory north of the United States, so Britain did not like this at all. What’s more, the Native Americans didn’t want the United States expanding their territory any further because it meant they would lose their land in order for America to take more. So the British and Native Americans worked together to oppose the Americans.
Forcing Americans to join The British Navy
Finally, Britain’s Royal Navy, the strongest naval power in the world at that time, had a practice called “impressment.” They routinely would stop American ships out in the ocean and take all the American sailors, forcing them to work as British sailors in their navy. Many American people were angered by these aggressions from Great Britain, especially after defeating them in the Revolutionary War and just experiencing their freedom in their new country. “War Hawks,” like Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, were Members of Congress at the time who pushed hard for starting a war with Great Britain over these offenses.
