Was the War of 1812 a Second war for independence for America?

Essay by Hist886High School, 11th gradeA+, July 2003

download word file, 2 pages 5.0

The War of 1812 was a major turning point in American history in that it moved America from Jefferson's Republicanism, as well as any signs of Federalism, and towards Jacksonian democracy. The War of 1812 has been called a Second War for American Independence because it changed America politically, diplomatically, and economically. America was changed because it became less dependent on Europe economically, American politics moved toward a new era, and America had more diplomatic respect from other countries.

American politics were changed because America moved towards a different era. The Federalists, who were mainly conservative, died out as a result of the War of 1812. The Federalists emphasized Sectionalism. During the War of 1812, Federalists smuggled goods across the border into Canada, guided British ships towards American ships that were trying to get through the blockade, and some extreme Federalists wanted to secede from the Union. The Federalists were also pro British and the most Americans hated the British.

These actions show that Federalists' ideas were not the same as other American ideas. The Hartford Convention, showed how out of touch the Federalists were with the people and they were humiliated because they sent it after the war had ended, completely contradicting themselves. Also, new prominent figures in politics were Andrew Jackson, John C. Calhoun, Daniel Webster, and Henry Clay. All of these people were mostly nationalists and they dominated politics until the Civil War. This shift in politics moved America away from the original ideas of the founding fathers and made American government less British. Also, since the Indians did not get a buffer state in the Treaty of Ghent, they were forced to sign treaties in which they agreed to abandon vast areas of land north of the Ohio. America was more politically unified because...