The War of 1812 Essay Sample free essay sample

The eighteenth and 19th century was a period of changeless war within North America. there was the Seven Years War of 1754. the American Revolution of 1775 and the War of 1812. This paper will concentrate on the War of 1812 and its impact on the North American community. The War of 1812 did non hold a individual victor or also-ran ; it was a war that was fought till it ended with a peace pact in December 1814. This war can be merely described as a war between people still loyal to the British Crown and people contending for freedom and their ain individuality. The War of 1812 has been described as a civil war that pitted members of a North American community against each other ; yet this is a false statement since the North American community was already pitted against each other. Before we can see the War of 1812 a civil war. we need to hold an apprehension of what the North American community was made up of. North America was full of people from all over Europe and people born in North America. One similarity among the North American community was that the peoples spoke the same linguistic communication and conducted themselves in a mode similar to each other. In British North America. which is present twenty-four hours Canada. there was approximately half a million people. There were about two hundred and 70 thousand people. 80 thousand people in the Maritime provincess who were pro-British and another 60 to eighty thousand people in Upper Canada who were fundamentally Americans by birth or descent. and that did non include the native peoples. The population of America was someplace about seven and a half million people. [ 1 ] The Americans had freed themselves from British ties by winning the American Revolution. therefore doing them their ain American community. Even though the Americans were their ain state. Britain still controlled the seas and made Torahs non leting the Americans to merchandise with France or any state Britain was at war with. In British North America the community was made up of a mixture of nationalities. such as Gallic and British stalwarts. Even in Canada. the state was divided. Upper Canada was chiefly English s peech production people and Lower Canada was chiefly Gallic talking people. There besides was a native community that was divided and fought for both sides during the War of 1812. These three different communities of people had been contending against each other since the beginning of colonisation of North America. It began with the British. Gallic and Natives fight for control of the land and during 1812 it had moved to the British and Canadians contending against the Americans. For the War of 1812 to be considered a civil war it would hold to follow this definition of a civil war. â€Å"a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same state. † [ 2 ] By this definition the War of 1812 does non suit into the class of a civil war since there were two different states. the Britain and its settlement of British North America against the Americans. The North American community was non united under one flag. With the North American community. they were already pitted against each other following the Seven Years War of 1754 and so once more following t he American Revolution of 1775. The Revolution was the American settlements push to go their ain state and have no more ties to Britain. They were successful in winning this war that would subsequently do the British stalwart migrate to British North America. These immigrants were from all categories and helped beef up the population of British North America. Following the American Revolution. the â€Å"British Empire and the American Republic remained uneasy neighbours in North America. † [ 3 ] This war had a major impact on Canadians and Americans. â€Å"the War of 1812 changed the lives of many Canadians and Americans. † [ 4 ] It was during this war that helped hammer both states into two separate single states and develop a better sense of patriotism. It brought the people of British North America near together since both the Gallic and English colonists were able to get the better of and support their land against a common enemy. The battlers of the War of 1812 had different ground for come ining the war. The Americans had grudges with Britain. and the Canadian’s were â€Å"fighting for their homes† [ 5 ] since the Americans were seeking to occupy British North America to throw out all of the British influence over North America. The British were in the war because of the demand to protect its settlement of British North America. The war aims for the War of 1812 seemed to be the appropriation of Canada from its British ties. which the Americans â€Å"expected to be a pushover. † [ 6 ] Britain was unable to set a hundred per centum attempt into the War of 1812 since they were contending in the Napoleonic wars. Britain was merely able to direct some military personnels and portion of its naval forces. Britain’s war purpose was the protection of its settlement. The War of 1812 was fought in British North American. on American dirt and the Atlantic Ocean. On June 18th. 1812 [ 7 ] war w as declared between America and Britain. The Americans declared war on British for three primary grounds. The first ground was the impressment of American crewmans while on the Atlantic Ocean. Second was the misdemeanor of American impersonal rights that meant cutting off trade with anyone. The 3rd ground was the refusal of the Britain to revoke the Order of the Council of 1807. which barred Americans from all impersonal trade with France and its Alliess. It was an violative war for the Americans as they were contending to acquire rid of the British influences in North America. therefore doing it a defensive war for the British and the Canadians. The Americans thought that â€Å"so many Upper Canadians had immigrated from the United States† [ 8 ] that it would be easy to take control over since the people would side with the Americans because of their nationality. An issue with the War of 1812 was that it is was over shadowed by the Napoleonic War. if Britain was able to direct more soldiers and concentrate more on this war. it may of changed the result. The first conflict of the war took topographic point around present twenty-four hours Windsor. Ontario. It was fought from â€Å"July 5th to 8th. This brush was a unquestionably little matter. but it was the fir st military battle on land†¦Ã¢â‚¬  [ 9 ] The British did the bulk of the combat in Canada. but the Canadians both English and French were still able to pull national pride from get the better ofing the Americans. The War 1812 had major conflicts at New Orleans. the invasion of York in British North America and in Washington. With every action there was an equal reaction in the War of 1812. The Americans raid on York in 1813 was a cardinal conflict of the war. It was here where the Americans were seeking to take the provincial capital. The British were unable to keep York and as they were withdrawing they tried to destruct anything of value to the Americans. When the Americans were unable to occupy Canada the British and Canadians gained motive from get the better ofing this ground forces. The British would force back and assail the Americans on their ain land. There was a foray on Washington during 1814. The British were successful in occupying Washington and they â€Å"burned several public edifices including the President’s place. † [ 10 ] This war was fought to a draw. since both sides were unable to get the better of their oppositions. The pact that ended the War of 1812 was the Treaty of Ghent signed on December 24. 1814. The peace dialogues were long and to a great extent influenced by the licking of Napoleon in Europe. Both the United States and Britain â€Å"wanted non merely the war to stop. but to do a peace that would last† [ 11 ] which cause the dialogues to go even longer. A job with this peace pact was that it did non settle much. It made each state return what they had conquered and controlled during the war. and some boundaries were to be redressed by commissioners. It did non nevertheless cover the issues that caused the Americans to declare war such as impressment. impersonal rights. The Americans viewed this pact as a â€Å"damned bad treaty† [ 12 ] since the Americans did non acquire what they wanted. This pact provided â€Å"cessation of belligerencies. return of captives and recommencement of the position quo. † [ 13 ] This pact did non alter much within the North American community except that it ended the belligerencies between the British and Americans. The Ame ricans neer once more tested to take over Canada. Every war has its victors and also-rans. except the War of 1812 since it did non bring forth a clear victor or also-ran. Arguments can be made for each state to be considered the victors. The strongest instance comes from the Canadians. The Canadians needed to win this war to maintain their individuality and to stay a portion of the British Empire. The Canadians were able to support Canada and maintain their British connexions. This lead to the laying of â€Å"the foundations for its hereafter independency and nationhood. † [ 14 ] The British may besides hold been the victor of the war since their war purposes was to continue its settlement of Canada. The Treaty of Ghent did non do the British alteration the ways in which they controlled the sea. But this war was besides an embarrassment for the British Empire since they were unable to get the better of such a little and immature state. If it was non for the Napoleonic Wars. Britain may hold been able to provide more war attempt to North America and at that place may hold been a clear victor. The United States made the strongest instance for being the also-rans of the War of 1812 since the United States declared war on Britain for ground such as the impressment of American crewmans. the misdemeanor of American impersonal rights and the refusal of the Britain to revoke the Order of the Council of 1807. Since America declared war to â€Å"win grant on these issues. it seems undeniable that the war represented a failure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  [ 15 ] along with their failed invasion of Canada. Though this war was comparatively little compared to American Revolution and Napoleonic War. it still had a major impact on the United States. Canada and Britain. It created different relationships between these states. It helped forged national individuality for both the United States and Canada. It can non be considered a civil war merely because the North America community was non united and they did non fight for a one individual cause. The Americans fought for their demands and desire to f ree North America of British connexions. while the Canadians and British fought for defence of their settlement and national individuality. Bibliography Borneman. Walter R. 1812: The War That Forged A Nation. New York: Harper Perennial. 2005. Print. Conrad. Margaret and Alvin Finkel. History of the Canadian Peoples. Volume I: Beginnings to 1867. Fifth Edition. Toronto: Pearson Longman. 2009. Print. Flavell. Julie. and Stephen Conway. Britain and America Go to War: The Impact of War and Warfare in Anglo-America. 1754-1815. Gainesville: University of Florida. 2004. Print. Hickey. Donald R. Don’t Give Up the Ship! : Myths of the War of 1812. Urbana: University of Illinois. 2006. Print. Jacobs. James R. . Major. and Glenn Tucker. The War of 1812: A Compact History. New York: Hawthorn. 1969. Print. Turner. Wesley B. The War of 1812: The War That Both Sides Won. Toronto: Dundurn. 2000. Print. Taylor. Alan. The Civil War of 1812: American Citizens. British Subjects. Irish Rebels. A ; Indian Allies. New York: Vintage. 2011. Print. â€Å"Civil War† Merriam-Webster. com Merriam-Webster. 2011. Monday. 5 October 2012. [ 1 ] Wesley B. Turner. The War of 1812: The War That Both Sides Won. ( Toronto: Dundurn. 2000 ) pg 16-17 [ 2 ] â€Å"Civil War† Merriam-Webster. com. Merriam-Webster. 2011. Monday. 5 October 2012. [ 3 ] Alan Taylor. The Civil War of 1812: American Citizens. British Subjects. Irish Rebels. A ; Indian Allies. ( New York: Vintage. 2011 ) pg. 9 [ 4 ] Wesley B. Turner. The War of 1812: The War That Both Sides Won. pg. 14 [ 5 ] pg 229 Britain and america travel to war [ 6 ] Major James R. Jacobs. and Glenn Tucker. The War of 1812: A Compact History ( New York: Hawthorn. 1969 ) pg. 14 [ 7 ] Major James R. Jacobs. and Glenn Tucker. The War of 1812: A Compact History pg. 13 [ 8 ] Margaret Conrad and Alvin Finkel. History of the Canadian Peoples. Volume I: Beginnings to 1867. Fifth Edition. ( Toronto: Pearson Longman. 2009 ) pg. 194 [ 9 ] Donald R. Hickey. Don’t Give Up the Ship! : Myths of the War of 1812. pg 53 [ 10 ] Wesley B. Turner. The War of 1812: The War That Both Sides Won. pg. 109 [ 11 ] Wesley B. Turner. The War of 1812: The War That Both Sides Won. pg. 116 [ 12 ] DonaldR. Hickey. Don’t Give Up the Ship! : Myths of the War of 1812. ( Urbana: University of Illinois. 2006 ) pg. 305 [ 13 ] Major James R. Jacobs. and Glenn Tucker. The War of 1812: A Compact History pg. 191 [ 14 ] Donald R. Hickey. Don’t Give Up the Ship! : Myths of the War of 1812. pg 302 [ 15 ] Donald R. Hickey. Don’t Give Up the Ship! : Myths of th e War of 1812. pg. 302