War of 1812

President Madison stressed U.S. neutral rights and was one of the main reasons, but would not be considered by far the most important. There were many minor reasons for going to war like gaining land in Canada or in the west, but there were also important motivations like establishing the United States as a “real” country that can protect itself. Some said the country was not prepared to fight as well. But given all the reasons for a war with Britain, the U.S. neutral rights was not by far most important.

Many of the “War-Hawks” of the southern and newly founded western states, proposed a war which seemed to have hidden agendas. They were known to be strong believers in manifest destiny and expanding into new lands. They were confronted for wanting to engage in war in hopes of gaining additional land to the north in Canada. This reason does not come close to eclipsing neutrality rights in the new nation.

A more prominent reason would be the undeniable fact that England was seizing American ships and sailors off our coast and in the Atlantic Ocean. They violated the peace and sanctuary of our harbors unprovoked. The British are allying with the neighboring Native American tribes against the U.S. As a new nation in the world, we are generally weak in military since the Revolutionary War and are not prepared to jump into a fight with one of the most powerful empires in the world. We do not have citizens that are willing to pay taxes and have lost much of the fighting spirit in thirty years of peace. The country has developed more economically then militaristically, but yet this offers a chance to make a world statement saying that this new idea of a country can survive among the powerful, thriving super-power countries. Neutrality must be waived if national security is at risk. England cannot continue to harass their former colonies and must be forced to respect them as a new country of their own.