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===The role of the War Hawks===

===The role of the War Hawks===

Various historians argue that the United States was pushed into war a group of congressman called the War Hawks. This group consisted of about a dozen congressmen, most elected in 1810. "The War Congress contained a new faction, one capable of providing leadership and firmness that had hitherto been lacking," according to Donald Hickey.<ref>Hickey, Donard R., ''The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict'', p. 29.</ref> This faction was led by Speaker of the House [[Henry Clay]] of Kentucky and by [[John C. Calhoun]] of South Carolina, chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee. The War Hawk thesis remains controversial among historians. As the chronology above illustrates, every step in the march toward war was initiated by Madison and the executive branch. In this era, congressional activity focused on responding to proposals made by the executive. There was no opportunity for a minority faction like the War Hawks to initiate policy.

Various historians argue that the United States was pushed into war a group of congressman called the War Hawks. The group consisted of about a dozen congressmen, most elected in 1810. "The War Congress contained a new faction, one capable of providing leadership and firmness that had hitherto been lacking," according to historian Donald Hickey.<ref>Hickey, Donard R., ''The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict'', p. 29.</ref> The memory of Republican losses in election of 1808 made the older generation reluctant to press this issue. The War Hawks were led by Speaker of the House [[Henry Clay]] of Kentucky and by [[John C. Calhoun]] of South Carolina, chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee. The War Hawk thesis remains controversial among historians. In this era, congressional activity focused on responding to proposals made by the executive. There was no opportunity for a minority faction to initiate policy.

Since the War Hawks came from the West and South, historians who blame them for the war have further argued that they were motivated by grievances specific to these two regions. Westerners were supposedly fixated by the prospect of land in Canada, while Southerners eyed Spanish Florida. This interpretation ignores the entire public debate of 1811 to 1812. Virtually every speech in Congress on relations with Britain during this period acknowledges that trade and sailors' rights were the central issues.<ref name=Gilje>Gilje, Paul A. ''[https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=zWURc-BfahsC&dq= Free Trade and Sailors' Rights in the War of 1812]'', Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2013, ISBN: 9781107607828, p. 147.</ref> The idea of a War Hawk faction comes from Federalist congressmen who listened to the fiery anti-British speeches of Clay, Calhoun, and others. They concluded, or hoped, that the Republicans were divided. An analysis of private letters does not support the view that the Republican leadership was split into pro-war and pro-peace factions.<ref name="warhawk" />

Since the War Hawks came from the West and South, historians who blame them for the war have further argued that they were motivated by grievances specific to these two regions. Westerners were supposedly fixated by the prospect of land in Canada, while Southerners eyed Spanish Florida. This interpretation ignores the entire public debate of 1811 to 1812. Virtually every speech in Congress on relations with Britain during this period acknowledges that trade and sailors' rights were the central issues.<ref name=Gilje>Gilje, Paul A. ''[https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=zWURc-BfahsC&dq= Free Trade and Sailors' Rights in the War of 1812]'', Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2013, ISBN: 9781107607828, p. 147.</ref> The idea of a War Hawk faction comes from Federalist congressmen who listened to the fiery anti-British speeches of Clay, Calhoun, and others. They concluded, or hoped, that the Republicans were divided. An analysis of private letters does not support the view that the Republican leadership was split into pro-war and pro-peace factions.<ref name="warhawk" />