Compared to Western Europe, the United States of America is a country with a young history. When the history of the United States began, there was already a specific world order in which some countries, including the UK, had particular influence. America’s first steps as a nation were complicated and thorny. One such step was the US war against the United Kingdom and its allies in 1812. Despite the United States Declaration of Independence, signed on 4 July 1776, the country still had many challenges on the road to greatness and prosperity.
To better understand the events of the war that began on 18 June 1812 and ended on 17 February 1815, it will be helpful to consider what preceded it. Noteworthy, this is not the first conflict between the US and the United Kingdom. Before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, there had been a confrontation between the two countries. After its completion, the United States began active colonization, including the lands of native Americans. The United Kingdom defended Indian settlements and opposed further American expansion. In addition, the British actively used the Royal Navy to restrict US trade with European countries, particularly France. The actions of the British led the United States to create the Embargo Act of 1807, which called on Britain to respect the sovereignty of the US. In addition, the British feared that the expansion of the United States would affect not only Native American territories but Canada. It is noteworthy that historians are still divided on what was the main reason for the war.
The War of 1812-1815 was preceded by two events of which it is essential to speak. These are clashes between the American and British fleets. The first occurred in 1807 and was named the Chesapeake-Leopard affair after the ships. The American ship Chesapeake was defeated, and its captain, James Barron, was forced to surrender. Thomas Jefferson was the president of the US at the time. The second battle, the Little Belt affair, took place between the fleets in 1811, and it was won by the American frigate USS President. The commander of the English frigate was Arthur Bingham. When he was asked if he was fired first, he replied negatively. Both events in the United States led to the wish to declare war on Britain. These facts suggest that a full-fledged military confrontation between the United States and Great Britain was almost inevitable.
James Madison was President of the United States in 1812. On June 1, 17 days before the outbreak of war, Madison sent a message to Congress about the war. It is important to note that the conflict could not be avoided despite some concessions Britain was ready to make. This was because the Americans learned of the concessions after they declared war on June 18. It is crucial that the UK was the largest trading partner of the US at the time. Therefore, any restrictions imposed by the British on trade with the US strongly affected the American economy.
The fighting took place on both land and water. On land in North America, in the area of the Great Lakes and the Canadian frontier, the Americans had a numerical advantage, but there were some problems in securing and arming. Poor training resulted in a defeat in the Battle of Bladensburg of 1814, in which the British Army defeated the Maryland and Virginia state militias of the US. On the other hand, the war occurred on the border between Canada and the US. Four American armies planned to attack Canada simultaneously in the areas of Fort Niagara, Sacket’s Harbor, Plattsburg, and Fort Malden. Despite a much smaller force, British General Isaac Brock defeated 600 British troops against 2,000 Americans and General William Hull. As a result, Hull surrendered Detroit to British forces.
One of the critical events of the war was the burning of Washington, D.C. American Commander Joshua Barney was defeated in a battle against a numerically superior enemy. English soldiers numbered about 4,000, while Barney had only 400 American soldiers. As a result of their victory, the British burned down many buildings in Washington, D.C., including the capitol building itself. It should be stressed that the British allies, the Spanish and some Native Americans, were involved in the fighting; for example, Spain had battles in Florida.
Another essential battle to highlight in this war was the battle of Lake Champlain. This event took place in September 1814 near Plattsburg, New York. The British had a significant advantage in this battle, as the number of British ships was one in four. However, thanks to the successful strategy of American captain Thomas Macdonough, they managed to sink a significant number of British ships.
The Treaty of Ghent was signed on 16 February 1815. This event marked the end of the War of 1812, which is called the “second war of independence.” Among the significant American losses was the large frigate USS President, which participated in the Little Belt affair. It was captured by the British in 1815 as revenge for the past.
In conclusion, it might be emphasized that the War of 1812 had little effect on relations between Britain and the United States. In fact, trade restrictions for the US and the borders remained the same as before the war. However, the United States had an important outcome from this war, which is that they could resist a powerful British army and won some battles. Two heroes of the war later became presidents of the United States. Moreover, the War of 1812 greatly enhanced patriotism and a sense of identity.