1812

Much debate has gone on to determine the grounds for the War of 1812. Through historical evidence and insight it is easy to see that the fight for neutral rights was the cause of the War of 1812. The seizures of American ships and impressments of the American people violated international law. The Indian attack on America gave the American people reason to believe that the British had been a part of breaking the United States Neutrality Laws. American people also preferred war to being controlled by Great Britain.

British impressments and seizing of American sailors and ships had made Madison furious, and he intended to do something about it. Madison did not want to go into a war though; he wanted to preserve the neutrality. "The United States have in vain exhausted remonstrations and expostulations"¦without effect," said Madison in his war message to congress. Madison tried many different embargos, but nothing worked.

The original treaty of the Louisiana Purchase

United States

James Madison, Hamilton's major collaborator, late...

The reason that Madison tried embargos was that they were a type of boycott, and boycotts worked wonderfully during the revolutionary war. Finally Madison resided to war. The seizing of American ships was killing the commerce of the United States irritated him. As the president, he could not let the countries trace drop dramatically. It was his responsibility to do something about it. He addresses the congress again about this issue. "British cruisers have been invading the peace of our coasts"¦and have willingly spilt American blood within the sanctuary of our jurisdiction." Great Britain has violently broken the neutrality. The spilling of American blood directly refers to the Chesapeake versus the Leopard battle. The Leopard, a British ship attacked and impressed the Chesapeake, without warning willing American citizens. This terrible incident pushed Madison over the edge and into war. It is obvious that going into war was the last choice of Madison, and that he would have only done it with the breaking of neutrality.

Due to the magnitude of power that the British hold, they were able to influence the Indians to attack the United Stated of America. The Indians would not have attacked without influence of another country. America had recently fought the Indians, and beaten them. "They [the Indians] understand their own weakness, and our [the United States] strength," said Felix Grundy, a war-hawk representative. Here, he means that there is no reason for the Indians to fight with the US because they know that hey would lose. Where did their vicious conduct come from then? ""¦Only some powerful nation must have intrigued with them"¦[and] Great Britain alone has intercourse with those Northern Tribes." In this juncture Grundy displays that no other influence could have turned the Indians against America, so it must have been Great Britain. This attack also violates the United States as a neutral nation. Madison would not let his country get bullied around by a power that they had already crushed, England. His only solution, since he had tried everything else, was to go to war with Britain.

The people of the United States had become angered with Britain and were ready to involve themselves in a war. Many people of the United States of America said that they, "Preferred war to submission." Said by Grundy during his speech to the House of Representatives in December 1811, he summarized the feelings of many Americans. Americans would not surrender to a country that they had already overcome in a previous war. The American people were being killed and pushed around by the British navy and the Indian army that had been supplied by the British. The American people were fed up with this type of behavior from England, just as a teacher would be angered at a student for constantly bickering after a lost argument. Grundy calls for "The interposition of the [United States] government." Grundy is asking for the House to declare war. The American people feel that this is the only way to settle issues once and for all with Great Britain. Grundy believes that it will take a second revolutionary way, and he is willing to engage in one. This energy from Americans is what prompts Madison and the United States Government to finally declare war on Britain.

Madison called for war on the country of Great Britain only because he had no other choices. Besides the government, the people of the United States urged towards the war because they would not submit to the British. Again the People of the United States stood strong in war with England and started to pave their pathway to the most powerful nation in the world.

The U.S. Capitol after the burning of Washington d...

Felix Grundy, Attorney General of the United State...