Causes of the War of 1812

The War of 1812 Bicentennial will be upon us soon — you'll know it's here when you start seeing tall ships arriving in East Coast cities this summer — and it's a good time to go back to the basics: why did the Americans declare war in June of 1812?

The reason everyone remembers would be impressment of sailors. Britain's Royal Navy would board American ships and seize sailors, essentially kidnapping them and declaring them to be English sailors.

And underlying the tension, which could escalate to cannon fire, over impressment was the general feeling that Britain simply had very little respect for the young American nation.

With the War Hawks in Congress spoiling for a fight, and openly talking about invading and seizing Canada, President James Madison was pushed toward war. Madison finally stated his reasons, and the Congress, though bitterly divided, voted to fight the most powerful nation on earth.

Many thought the idea of going to war was a horrible idea. Yet if you put yourself into the minds of some Americans 200 years ago right now, fighting Britain, on the high seas and in the Canadian woods, did made sense.

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Illustration: The American frigate USS Chesapeake flew a banner proclaiming "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights" from the top of its mast/Library of Congress

Full article: Causes of the War of 1812

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