The War Of 1812 example essay topic

Between the years of 1812 and 1815, America was at war with Great Britain. It was a war that many people, including historians, thought to be an inessential effort. Although the War of 1812 may be called "rash and unnecessary", there is defense to refute this statement. Tensions between America and Great Britain were high, and events such as impressment of American sailors and the British arming the Native Americans, can explain why this war should not be though of as unnecessary.

When the British re-established their impressment policy in 1806, American felt is was a violation of their neutrality. The British claimed they were searching for British deserters in order to board American ships. The British took thousands of American sailors, mistaking them for their own men. This stirred up American sentiments, for a number of these American sailors died while being forced to serve for the British. It was not just that the Americans, who belonged to a neutral nation, were being forced to fight Great Britain's war. Perhaps the most tragic event concerning impressment was the attack of the warship, the Chesapeake, in 1807.

The British never claimed the right to search a warship for deserters, and when the captain of the Chesapeake denied the request, the British attacked the ship, killing and wounding Americans. This event caused almost the entire population to want to go to war with Great Britain; their neutrality was directly affected. The Americans were also greatly disturbed to find British weapons being used by the Native Americans in the West. Between 1809 and 1811, the western American settlers and the Native Americans engaged in a series of battles over western land. During that time, Americans were very interested in expansion, and sought to settle in the land the United States gained in the West from the Louisiana Purchase. However, Native Americans already occupied this land.

The Natives began to attack the western settlements on the frontier, smashing the pioneers' cabins. In response to these attacks, the Americans invaded Native American settlements and fought battles over the land. Americans found British rifles among other things in some destroyed Native American settlements and realized that the British in Canada were arming them and inciting them to attack western settlements. In a way, the British were attacking the Americans, but indirectly. It was the duty of America to respond to these assaults on the country. Considering these things, it is not a wonder why the War of 1812 occurred.

The impressment of American sailors violated American neutrality by making those men fight a war that was not their own. Britain's arming of the Native Americans, as well as inciting the Natives to attack American settlements, was an assault on America and can be thought of as the first act of the war. The War of 1812 was not "rash and unnecessary", it was a response to the British violations on America, for America is not a country to stand for any assailing of it.