The Main Causes and Consequences of the War of 1812

Nothing unites the nation better than the presence of the external enemy. Wars, revolutions and other violent means of changing the current situation in the country have the most grandiose effect, which is directly proportional to the number of dead people. Though, only humanists consider war to be a disaster for two sides of the conflict. Politicians, economists and arms dealer wait for it and hail it. It is unnecessary to note that humanists do not create international conflicts and so they can only lament after chaos has defeated the order.

The War of 1812 was caused by several misunderstandings between the USA and Great Britain. The first reason to begin the campaign was ecumenical. Great Britain was in the state of war with France and tried to impose restrictions on the free trade between the States and their enemy. According to the international law, these actions were illegitimate. That is why France got a strong ally in the United States.

Another reason that set the States against Britain was the forced recruitment of American navy officers into the Royal army. As a result the US government consolidated and finally built strong naval force in their country. Britain also helped Indians to resist the expansion of colonists to their native lands. So, it is possible to say that they gave a strong push for a long-lasting future struggle between the Indians and other Americans.

Even though many people died in the War of 1812, the United States of America finally achieved the formal and practical independence from Great Britain, and started to develop actively. This conflict showed other countries that the USA is not an adjunct of Britain, but a free and legitimate state.

References

Bickham, T. (2012) The Weight of Vengeance: The United States, The British Empire, and the War of 1812. Oxford University Press.