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| casualties1 =21,000

| casualties1 =21,000

| casualties2 =8,000  

| casualties2 =8,000  

}}The '''War of 1812''' was fought between the United States and Britain and lasted from June 18, 1812 until February 18, 1815. Americans had several grievances against Britain: suppressing American trade with France, impressing (seizing) sailors with U.S. papers, and supplying and inciting hostile Indian tribes in the West. The specific grievances counted for less than the feeling that many Americans had at this time that Britain did not respect U.S. sovereignty. It was "a war for honour, like that of the Greeks against Troy," as Virginia Republican John Taylor put it.<ref>Wood, Gordon S. ''Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815'' (Oxford History of the United States Book 4) (p. 313). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition. p. 659.</ref> For its part, Britain felt that the emergency measures it took were justified by the struggle against [[Napoleon]].

}}The '''War of 1812''' was fought between the United States and Britain and lasted from June 18, 1812 until February 18, 1815. Americans had various grievances against Britain: Suppressing American trade with France, impressing (seizing) sailors with U.S. papers, and supplying and inciting hostile Indian tribes in the West. The specific grievances counted for less than the feeling that many Americans had at this time that Britain did not respect U.S. sovereignty. It was "a war for honour, like that of the Greeks against Troy," as Virginia [[Republicans (Jeffersonian)| Republican]] John Taylor put it.<ref>Wood, Gordon S. ''Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815'' (Oxford History of the United States Book 4) (p. 313). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition. p. 659.</ref> For its part, Britain felt that emergency measures were justified by the struggle against [[Napoleon]].

In January 1807, the British issued "Orders in Council" to prevent neutral nations like the U.S. from trading with France. President [[Thomas Jefferson]] responded with the [[Embargo of 1807]]. After the embargo collapsed in 1809, Jefferson's successor [[James Madison]] tried other forms of economic pressure. In response to accusations that the British aided the [[Tecumseh]] revolt, voters in the South and West elected a group of congressman called the "War Hawks" in 1810. This was a small faction, but it had fiery speakers and a clear program. [[Henry Clay]], the leader of the War Hawks, became Speaker of the House of Representatives. By the middle of 1811, Madison's strategy of using economic pressure had reached a dead end. The president was faced with the choice of going to war or confessing failure on the policy that had long been his administration's top priority. A group of measures approved in early April 1812 were understood as preliminary to war. Madison requested war on June 1. The vote in Congress was close and the outcome in the Senate was uncertain for a time. War was declared on June 18. In May, Britain had offered to license U.S. merchant ships on the same basis that British merchant ships were licensed. In June, it had revoked the Orders in Council altogether. These moves came too late to avert war.

Both presidents [[Thomas Jefferson]] (1801-1809) and [[James Madison]] (1809-1817) favored France in the [[Napoleonic Wars]]. They were not reconciled to the fact that American trade and shipping assisted the British cause. In January 1807, the British issued "Orders in Council" to prevent neutral nations like the U.S. from trading with France. Jefferson responded with the [[Embargo of 1807]]. The embargo hurt the U.S. economy and was unpopular. After it collapsed in 1809, Madison tried other forms of economic pressure. By the middle of 1811, this strategy had reached a dead end. The president was faced with the choice of going to war or confessing failure. A military buildup was authorized in January 1812. A group of measures approved in early April were understood as preliminary to war. Madison requested war on June 1. The vote in Congress was close and the outcome in the Senate was uncertain for a time. War was declared on June 18. In May, Britain had offered to license U.S. merchant ships on the same basis that British merchant ships were licensed. In June, it had revoked the Orders in Council altogether. These concession came too late to avert war.

The war began with a disastrous U.S. invasion of Ontario led by William Hull. Hull's force surrendered and a British counteroffensive took Detroit. The Battle of the Thames in October 1813 was the turning point of the war. The fighting at sea was characterized by a tight British blockade that shut down most American shipping, together with some dramatic naval battles that added glory to the small U.S. Navy. When the Napoleonic wars ended, the British could move large forces to North America and go on the offensive. They attacked Washington, New York state, and New Orleans. All these invasions were abject failures. By late 1814, with Napoleon gone, Britain friends with France, and the Indian tribes defeated, the causes for the war had largely vanished. A treaty was agreed to that left the prewar boundaries unchanged.   

The war began with a disastrous U.S. invasion of Ontario led by William Hull. Hull's force surrendered and a British counteroffensive took Detroit. The Battle of the Thames in October 1813 was the turning point of the war. The fighting at sea was characterized by a tight British blockade that shut down most American shipping, together with some dramatic naval battles that added glory to the small U.S. Navy. When the Napoleonic wars ended, the British could move large forces to North America and go on the offensive. They attacked Washington, New York state, and New Orleans. All these invasions were abject failures. By late 1814, with Napoleon gone, Britain friends with France, and the Indian tribes defeated, the causes for the war had largely vanished. A treaty was agreed to that left the prewar boundaries unchanged.