War of Trade 1812
The War of 1812, “Mr. Madison’s War”, The Second War for Independents, one of the forgotten wars, by whatever name you call it, was a war that could have been, should have been, and almost was, avoided.
Neither The United States nor Great Britain was very well prepared for war.
Many in the United States opposed the war; New England was especially set against it. The points of contention where Great Britain’s failure to live up to the treaty of Paris that end the American Revolution, they still held post on the western frontier that where supposed to by returned to American control, in addition America, with some cause, believed that the British where using those post to incite the American Indian’s into hostile acts against the United States. Britain had also refused to lift trade restrictions that the United States felt where unfair to them as a neutral nation. The British navy would stop American ships on the high seas and search them for British deserters, and was not above taking the occasional American seaman, forcing him to fight in a war that was not his.
America entered the war with a poorly led, supplied, and trained army. In addition even the leaders of the country felt its navy could not content with what was considered at the time, the greatest navy the world had ever known, The British Royal Navy. Had Great Britain not been preoccupied with its war with Napoleon the second war for independence might well have ended very badly for the United States, and world history would be very different from what it is today.
America may have entered the war as a weak loose confederation of independent states, but by the end, two and a half years later, she emerged as a battle tested power, her army had learned to mobilize, its leadership strong and proven, its men well trained, brave and confident. The Navy, so underrated by its own Government, had proven itself to be, gun for gun, as good as any in the world.
The forgotten war of 1812 yielded no new territory, and ended with none of the causes settled, leading some to believe it but a footnote in history. That is not so, The War of 1812, “Mr. Madison’s war” The Second War for Independents, by whatever name you call it did no less than define and solidify a nation. We entered that forgotten war as so many rebellious colonies we left it as, The United States of America.
The honest study of history can enlighten mankind as to past mistakes; with proper thought history can teach us how to avoid armed conflict. The publisher of this site is seeking just such an honest study of the history of the War of 1812. We respectfully request intelligent non-aggressive input from all nations, involved or not, so that lessens of this conflict between America, Great Britain, Canada, and the American Indians can be put to use to avoid future conflicts. So that those who died doing their duty can rest in piece, knowing that their sacrifice helped mankind avoid future loss.
copyright 2009
Neither The United States nor Great Britain was very well prepared for war.
Many in the United States opposed the war; New England was especially set against it. The points of contention where Great Britain’s failure to live up to the treaty of Paris that end the American Revolution, they still held post on the western frontier that where supposed to by returned to American control, in addition America, with some cause, believed that the British where using those post to incite the American Indian’s into hostile acts against the United States. Britain had also refused to lift trade restrictions that the United States felt where unfair to them as a neutral nation. The British navy would stop American ships on the high seas and search them for British deserters, and was not above taking the occasional American seaman, forcing him to fight in a war that was not his.
America entered the war with a poorly led, supplied, and trained army. In addition even the leaders of the country felt its navy could not content with what was considered at the time, the greatest navy the world had ever known, The British Royal Navy. Had Great Britain not been preoccupied with its war with Napoleon the second war for independence might well have ended very badly for the United States, and world history would be very different from what it is today.
America may have entered the war as a weak loose confederation of independent states, but by the end, two and a half years later, she emerged as a battle tested power, her army had learned to mobilize, its leadership strong and proven, its men well trained, brave and confident. The Navy, so underrated by its own Government, had proven itself to be, gun for gun, as good as any in the world.
The forgotten war of 1812 yielded no new territory, and ended with none of the causes settled, leading some to believe it but a footnote in history. That is not so, The War of 1812, “Mr. Madison’s war” The Second War for Independents, by whatever name you call it did no less than define and solidify a nation. We entered that forgotten war as so many rebellious colonies we left it as, The United States of America.
The honest study of history can enlighten mankind as to past mistakes; with proper thought history can teach us how to avoid armed conflict. The publisher of this site is seeking just such an honest study of the history of the War of 1812. We respectfully request intelligent non-aggressive input from all nations, involved or not, so that lessens of this conflict between America, Great Britain, Canada, and the American Indians can be put to use to avoid future conflicts. So that those who died doing their duty can rest in piece, knowing that their sacrifice helped mankind avoid future loss.
copyright 2009
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