War Of 1812 Causes
War of 1812
“The Causes of the War of 1812”
Jennifer Herrera
History 1301
Michael Mitchell
November 2, 2013
Herrera 2 Even though many of us do not know what caused the war of 1812 we infer and start to make up stuff that didn’t actually happen. Many of us do not know until we start to do some research. I had to study the Republicans and their policies in order to understand what the federalists where reacting to. I learned more about them than the Federalists. As Donald R. Hickey says in his book, “The war of 1812 is probably our most obscure war.”1
Why would this war be so obscure?
The War of 1812 is probably our most obscure conflict. I think the obscurity of this war is that its causes are
complex and little understood today. This war declared by the United States against Great Britain. If the causes of the war are obscure, so too are the consequences. The United States has won most of its wars, often emerging with significant concessions from the enemy. But the War of 1812 was different. Far from bringing the enemy to terms, the nation was lucky to escape without making extensive concessions itself. Causing this war included trade disputes. As said in the Journal of Systems Science and Systems Engineering, “Although those wishing to brave European ports could still make money, the restrictions on trade soon affected America’s economic markets.” 2 The Orders-in-Council restricted American trade with the European Continent. The war was fought for “Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights.” They traded with the enemy and refused to send taxes or troops. At the Hartford Convention the Federalists sent Congress a list of demands and a thinly-veiled threat of secession.
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Historical conflicts from a systems engineering perspective can provide a better understanding. W. Stewart says, “A given conflict that have been avoided actually occurred and thereby furnish valuable guidance to come up with win/win resolutions to current conflicts.”3
“In the book, The Diplomacy of the War of 1812 Frank Arthur Updyke, states this: American trade continued to suffer at the hands of Great Britain, France, and Spain. Neutral vessels were seized by these belligerent nations for having on board goods of the enemy, whether such goods were contraband or not; for trading with ports declared to be under blockade; and for carrying goods claimed to be contraband.4
The American desire for expansion and territorial domination was another cause of the War of 1812.
Another consequence is the end of the Federalist Party. The end of the Federalist Party made a total effect on national politics. This conflict started when Americans were debating whether or not to ratify the Constitution. According to my research Federalists favored a strong central government and were among the nation’s best educated and wealthiest men. They also favored Britain over France. “The downfall of the Federalist Party began in earnest in 1812”, says Miriam Greenblatt. 5
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Notes
1. The War of 1812, a Forgotten Conflict, Bicentennial Edition: Donald R. Hickey; pg.1
2.
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Bibliography
Books:
Donald R. Hickey, the War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict. University of Illinois, Press 2012
Frank Arthur Updyke, the Diplomacy of the War of 1812, Johns Hopkins, 1915
MacNutt, W. Stewart. New Brunswick, a history: 1784-1867. Gage Distribution Company, 1984.
Miriam Greenblatt, John Stewart Bowman, War of 1812, America at War Series, InfoBase
Publishing 2009
Journal Articles:
Takehiro Inohara, Journal of Systems Science and Systems Engineering, June 2007, Volume 16, Issue 2, pp 181-201
“The Causes of the War of 1812”
Jennifer Herrera
History 1301
Michael Mitchell
November 2, 2013
Herrera 2 Even though many of us do not know what caused the war of 1812 we infer and start to make up stuff that didn’t actually happen. Many of us do not know until we start to do some research. I had to study the Republicans and their policies in order to understand what the federalists where reacting to. I learned more about them than the Federalists. As Donald R. Hickey says in his book, “The war of 1812 is probably our most obscure war.”1
Why would this war be so obscure?
The War of 1812 is probably our most obscure conflict. I think the obscurity of this war is that its causes are
complex and little understood today. This war declared by the United States against Great Britain. If the causes of the war are obscure, so too are the consequences. The United States has won most of its wars, often emerging with significant concessions from the enemy. But the War of 1812 was different. Far from bringing the enemy to terms, the nation was lucky to escape without making extensive concessions itself. Causing this war included trade disputes. As said in the Journal of Systems Science and Systems Engineering, “Although those wishing to brave European ports could still make money, the restrictions on trade soon affected America’s economic markets.” 2 The Orders-in-Council restricted American trade with the European Continent. The war was fought for “Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights.” They traded with the enemy and refused to send taxes or troops. At the Hartford Convention the Federalists sent Congress a list of demands and a thinly-veiled threat of secession.
Herrera 3
Historical conflicts from a systems engineering perspective can provide a better understanding. W. Stewart says, “A given conflict that have been avoided actually occurred and thereby furnish valuable guidance to come up with win/win resolutions to current conflicts.”3
“In the book, The Diplomacy of the War of 1812 Frank Arthur Updyke, states this: American trade continued to suffer at the hands of Great Britain, France, and Spain. Neutral vessels were seized by these belligerent nations for having on board goods of the enemy, whether such goods were contraband or not; for trading with ports declared to be under blockade; and for carrying goods claimed to be contraband.4
The American desire for expansion and territorial domination was another cause of the War of 1812.
Another consequence is the end of the Federalist Party. The end of the Federalist Party made a total effect on national politics. This conflict started when Americans were debating whether or not to ratify the Constitution. According to my research Federalists favored a strong central government and were among the nation’s best educated and wealthiest men. They also favored Britain over France. “The downfall of the Federalist Party began in earnest in 1812”, says Miriam Greenblatt. 5
Herrera 4
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Herrera 6
Herrera 7
Herrera 8
Notes
1. The War of 1812, a Forgotten Conflict, Bicentennial Edition: Donald R. Hickey; pg.1
2.
Herrera 9
Herrera 10
Bibliography
Books:
Donald R. Hickey, the War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict. University of Illinois, Press 2012
Frank Arthur Updyke, the Diplomacy of the War of 1812, Johns Hopkins, 1915
MacNutt, W. Stewart. New Brunswick, a history: 1784-1867. Gage Distribution Company, 1984.
Miriam Greenblatt, John Stewart Bowman, War of 1812, America at War Series, InfoBase
Publishing 2009
Journal Articles:
Takehiro Inohara, Journal of Systems Science and Systems Engineering, June 2007, Volume 16, Issue 2, pp 181-201