While Britain was stealing American soldiers, encouraging Indians to attack American settlements and destroying the United States economy, America was trying to start a country. America didnát have the economy to fund a war. The United States made one of its most obvious mistakes when it declared war on Britain in 1812. Britain had been at war with France since 1793. Toward the end of the British-French war, Britain to manipulate the American economy and well being. Prior to this war, Britain began provoke the United States by the impressment of American ships. By impressing American ships, British ships would stop American trading ships and search them, claiming they were looking for British military deserters. Many times the British authorities would take American sailors or even ships saying they belonged to the British. This reached an incredible peak when the British frigate ILeopardi fired upon the American warship iChesapeakel. After killing three men and injuring eighteen others, British crewmembers boarded the IChesapeakel and took five men whom they claimed were deserters, however, It was later discovered that only one of these men was an actual deserter. In 1806 the British blockaded many European ports in an attempt cripple France. This had trickle-down effects on the United States economy. An unknown American historian states, The value of American export trade dropped from $108,343,150 in 1807 to $22, 430,960 in 1808.1 (member.tripod.com/-war1812) To further manipulate the development of the United States, the British began to incite the peaceful Indians along the northwestern frontier of the United States to riot and revolt.
The British also provided these Indians guns. This caused many problems for the United States. The United States felt that Britain was interfering with the United Statesi economic freedom and attempting to sabotage their internal expansion. The United States felt they had to retaliate against Britain. The United States declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812. This turned out to be a mistake of great magnitude. While these were all good reasons to take action to try to change the British actions, they were not good reasons for the United States to declare war on Great Britain. The United States was not prepared for war as a country. Many Americans felt that war was not the best way to deal with the conflict between Britain and The United States. Oln a war with England we shall need numerous armies and ample treasuries for their support. The war-hounds that are howling for war through the continent are not to be the men who are to force entrenchments, and scale ramparts against the bayonet and the cannonis mouth; to perish in sickly camps, or in long marches through sultry heats or wastes of snow. While these brave men who are Idesigning or exhorting glorious war,i lodged safe at Monticello or some other secure retreat, will direct and look on; and will receive such pay for their services as they shall see fit to ask, and as will answer their purpose.(New York Evening Post) Massachusetts set their flags at half-mast when they heard that war was declared on Britain.
Daniel Webster, an American statesman said, IWhoever would discover the causes which have produced the present state of things, must look for them, not in the efforts of the opposition, but in the nature of the war in which we are engagedi Quite too small a portion of public opinion was in favor of the mode in which it has been conductedi Public opinion, strong and united is not with you.d (member.tripod.com/-war1812) After war was declared on Britain New England threatened to secede from the United States. The United States was not prepared for war economically. The United States had been an independent country for less than thirty years when they made the fateful decision to declare war on Britain. Not only was the United States economically very young, it was still recovering from the hardships of the revolutionary war when they declared war on Britain. Economically, not only was the United still very young, it was also trying to recover from the revolutionary war that had won them independence from Britain. In addition the United States military was not ready to plan a war, much less fight one. Congress had only voted in 1812 to establish an army and was destitute of naval power. Until the establishment of the army the majority of American military presence was militias. Militias are civilian volunteers who gather together, when called upon, to defend a city or town. Militias are for defensive purposes only. The United States had very little offensive power. Nearly all American officers were inexperienced and under-trained.
The revolutionary war was fought nearly 40 years before. The experience that was gained from the revolutionary war was not the most useful experience, considering they were two different types of war. There were no naval battles during the revolutionary war. To declare war when the military and economic resources were not available was a mistake of incredible magnitude. There were some positive aspects to the war of 1812. The revolutionary war had won the United States its independence, but the war of 1812 had established the role of the United States as a free and independent country. Until that time the United States was heavily influenced by the actions of Britain. The War of 1812 had the potential to force Great Britain to accept the Unites States as an equal, instead of a subordinate. It was imminent that the United States would take some sort of action against Britain for their actions against them. However, war was not the only political action available to the United States. The United States passed the Embargo Act of 1803 to try influence Britain to remove their European blockades. After that failed the United States did not try any negotiations with Britain before declaring war on them. This does not seem like a well-thought out plan of political strategy. The United States ran very high risks when declaring war on Britain. Britain was a very powerful country with many allies at this time. The United States was not powerful, had few allies, and did not have an economy that could support a war against Britain. The United States, if defeated, would have most likely become under British control again. This risk makes the entire war a mistake.
