What were the reasons why the war of 1812 occurred?

Answer 1

The war had two major causes: repeated British violations of American sovereignty, and American expansionism, which was later expressed as manifest destiny.

During the 1790's the Native Americans were very angry and done with white settlers coming into their land and pushing them more and more west. This caused a lot of conflict between the Native Americans and the United States because all of the white settlers were ignoring the treaties between the two of them. Soon after fighting quickly broke out between the Native Americans and the settlers, lots of innocent lives were lost on both sides. In the 1800's the fighting between the Native Americans caused the alliance between the United States and Britain to get worse. Britain knew that the Native Americans were recently fighting with the white settlers, so they were supplying guns and ammunition to the Native Americans because the Americans used to supply them with many good such as those. They were also encouraging the Native Americans to attack the United Sates. The United states were still continuing to disagree over trade. Knowing that the embargo was set to expire in 1810 between France and Britain, the Untied States said that if France and Britain would stop seizing American ships the Untied States would halt trade with the other nation. Soon after France agreed to stay neutral with the United States. So the United States began trading with France but stopped all shipments to Britain. Some people from the United States, including president Madison, did not want war with Britain. Yet members of Congress from the south and the west called for war on Britain, they were known as War Hawks. The War Hawks had very good and strong points for going to war with Britain. For example, they wanted revenge on Britain for seizing ships, they wanted to conquer Canada. Florida belonged to Spain at the time, Britain's ally, and they thought if the went to war they could seize Florida from Spain. Another reason is that the War Hawks pointed out that Britain was arming the Natives Americans on the Frontier and encouraging to attack the settlers, they thought that winning the war would bring lasting peace and safety to the settlers on the Frontier. In 1811 the united states and Britain were closer than ever to war. Britain wanted to prevent the Americans from trading with France so they blockaded all ports in the Untied Sates. The British still were boarding American ships. A brief battle broke out in June against the British war ship. Americans crippled the British ship and left 32 British dead. Now the War Hawks were urging Congress to prepare for war on Britain. President Madison finally gave in to the war. In June 1812 he asked Congress to declare war on Britain.

Answer 2

The basic causes of the War of 1812 were economic, commercial, territorial, and part bluff. A group in Congress lead by Henry Clay, known as the "War Hawks" wanted to invade Canada and make it part of the United States. The War Hawks were supported in the West and South. Because of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, our commercial rights as a neutral on the high seas were being infringed upon by France and England. Great Britain also practiced the policy of impressment, stopping American ships and claiming that some sailors were British deserters from the British navy and forcing them to serve on British war ships. Impressment had been a policy of Great Britain for a long time. The New England states did not support the War because they would lose money and trade. Mostly Jeffersonians and agriculture interests supported the commercial reasons for the war. Southern agriculture suffered from the British policies more so than the Eastern merchants. Some westerners also believed that the British were stirring up the Indians in the Northwest, to attack American settlers. The American government hoped that in threatening war, the British might give in to American's demands regarding our rights as loyalist.