In this exam essay, we will delve into the underlying reasons, progression, and outcomes of the War of 1812 and its impact on the United States' future events. This war, also known as the Second War of American Independence, occurred from 1812-1814 between the United States and Britain. The main drive behind the war was the Napoleonic Wars. The British imposed a blockade to hinder international trade with France, and America responded with the Embargo Act of 1807, restricting its ships from trading with foreign ports and preventing export of all American goods. Jefferson repealed the act in 1809 just before James Madison came into power and authorized trading again, provided that interference with American ships would halt trade between their respective nations.

The British government, meanwhile, issued "Orders in Council" in 1807 to enforce these restrictions and prohibited trading with France for its allies or neutral powers. In May 1811, Britain's Royal Navy attacked American ships and took 250,000 soldiers captive. Pro-war groups known as "War Hawks" in Congress gained momentum as the pressing tension between the two nations escalated. In June 1812, President Madison declared war on Britain, but two days prior, the British government suspended the Orders in Council, signifying a desire to trade with America. However, due to poor communication, this information did not reach America in time. In an attempt to win, American forces immediately attacked Canada, a British colony, but the untrained soldiers suffered a defeat. However, in 1813, the Americans gained momentum with a win at the Battle of Lake Erie, led by William Henry Harrison, and a victory at the Battle of the Thames, where they controverted a Native American force led by Tecumseh.

By 1814, the British retaliated by blockading American trade with their navy and attacking their ports along the east coast. The British then invaded Washington, D.C., burnt down several buildings, including the Capitol and the White House, and evoked a retaliatory response from the Americans. The final battle took place on January 8, 1815, in New Orleans, where U.S. forces, led by Andrew Jackson, defeated a British attack on the city and forced the British out of Louisiana. A Treaty of Ghent, signed on December 24, 1814, ended the war with no territorial or border changes for either side.

Sources:

Marsh, James H. and Pierre Berton. "War of 1812". The Canadian Encyclopedia, 31 October 2018, Historica Canada. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/war-of-1812. Accessed 22 October 2021.