War of 1812
There are many reasons why America was forced to declare war on Britain in 1812. As President Madison stated for the cause to declare war were due to the impressments of U.S. sailors by the British, the blockade of U.S. ports, the British supporting the Indians and as well as the British violating America’s neutral rights. To further understand why America went to war; I will explain each of the reasons a bit more clearly with additional details.
To begin with, every time the British came across an American ship, they would attack it, and then take any sailors who had once before served for the British and make them fight for them again. This continuously happened as the American’s couldn’t do anything against it. This action taken by the British went against the neutrality act of the Americans which stated that the U.S. would not take sides with countries at war in Europe. To even further complicate the issue, Britain would blockade the ports so the American merchant ships could not trade with the French. Although Congress passed the embargo act, which stopped all trade between America and other countries for the sake of not getting involved with the war with Britain and France, it was later repealed because it was hurting the economy. The problems with the British capturing American ships, and blockading ports still continued.
Although most of the conflicts were taking place in the ocean, the British had managed to help the Indians by giving them guns to fight back against the Americans. Also after the revolutionary war was over, there was a treaty that stated that all British settlements in the U.S. would be out of the U.S. which the British had not stayed completely true to and still had British fort on American Territory.
From the impressments of U.S. sailors to the British helping out the Indians was just another way for Great Britain to try to provoke America to go to war with them. As more conflicts grew and the lives of Americans were endangered, President Madison asked Congress to go to war with Great Britain once again. And the war officially began.