The Causes of the War of 1812 Essay Example for Free

The Causes of the War of 1812 Essay What is thought to be a main cause of a war? Territory and religion are big causes of the wars today. The war of 1812 was when war broke out again between the United States and Britain. There are three main causes that led to the war of 1812, Impressment, the British Incitement with the Indians, and the war hawks. Although there may be other factors that one may say caused the war, these topics are the major causes, and are what impacted America. In this essay I will explain the causes in detail and provide you with a greater understanding of the causes of the war of 1812. The issue of impressment and the interference of trade are both what caused the war of 1812.One of the main issues between the United States and Britain was because of blockades that were used to seal up Britain’s ports and prevent ships from entering or leaving. Because of the blockade Britain seized more than 1,000 American ships and confiscated their cargo. Also the embargo act affected the trade between the two countries, because it put a ban on exporting products to other countries. The US thought this act would make the British honor American neutrality, but it actually backfired and hurt the US more than it did to Britain. The ban was lifted on foreign trade in 1809, except with Britain and France. Impressment was the practice of seizing US ships and drafting them into the British navy. America focused their anger on the British because of impressment. The British viewed impressment as a gain for their navy, they needed more man power to fight in war. America was angry the practice of impressment, and they feared if they lost they would lose independence. The irony of the issue of impressment as a cause for the war was, that two days before we went to Britain, they lifted the British policy of impressment but it was no longer an issue. Another cause of the war of 1812 was the British incitement with the Indians. Tecumseh was the Shawnee chief who formed a confederacy and began negotiations with Britain for assistance in defeating America, and continuing to press Hamilton and his white settler to withdraw from the Native American land that Tecumseh wanted all to himself. The British were providing the Indians with weapons because they had an alliance and they both wanted to create a war with America because of the trade issues that went on beforehand. The Indians were taking the weapons from the British because they needed an additional support in order to gain the land they wanted. Because the British were supplying Indians with weapons the Americans felt under attack. The last cause of the war of 1812 was the group known as the war hawks. The war hawks were a group of young congress men from the south and the west of the united states. They called for war against Britain, because they found out that the Native Americans were being supplied with weapons from the British. They thought it was unfair because they were being pushed to withdraw from their land and to hand it over to the natives, but the natives were allied with Britain and had a larger army and more weapons, and it gave them a greater advantage. The US military was unprepared before the war began; they were not as strong and equipped as the British were. In conclusion the main causes of the war of 1812 were impressment, the British incitement with the Indians, and the war hawks. The British policy of impressment caused anger to arise in America, because of the seizing of their ships. As in letter from the commander of the U.S.S. Chesapeake stated â€Å"at 150 yards range they fired their first broadside. It came without warning†¦ nor were we prepared to fight†, the British took advantage of the US because they were unprepared, and the British were confident and well equipped. The British incitement of the Indians also caused great tension in America. The Indians were being armed with British guns, and they used them to attack the US and gain land. The war hawks caused the war of 1812 because they were infuriated that the native Americans were using weapons from Britain, and they were aided with help.