StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Politics of war extra - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The British Empire was composed of Great Britain and the British North America territories (some Canadian provinces). The United States was composed of the…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER98.9% of users find it useful
Politics of war extra
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Politics of war extra"

Politics of War: War of 1812 The participants in the War of 1812 are the United s of America on one side and the British Empire on the other. The British Empire was composed of Great Britain and the British North America territories (some Canadian provinces). The United States was composed of the different states signatories to the union (18 states at that time), and the British Empire was allied with its Northern territories in Canada and the Native Indians. The primary spark that set off the shooting was when the Chesapeake, a vessel of the U.S. Navy was detained by Leopard, a British frigate, and ordered to be searched for deserters.

The Captain of the Chesapeake refused to be boarded and the ship was fired upon by the Leopard; as a result, about three men of the Chesapeake were killed and 18 were wounded. The Captain then gave in to the inspection, whereupon, four members of the crew who were allegedly deserters were removed from the Chesapeake. When the maimed Chesapeake later returned to Norfolk, outrage from across the country was expressed by the American people. As a result, “American opinion not only supported, but demanded war” (Coles, p. 7). The present international laws and regulations on war were not in place in the 1800s.

The existing international and legal policies surrounding the declaration of war during the 1800s lay in each state’s right to exist and declare war. “In the United States, it is confided to the federal legislature where it resides with the people and is retained by them as a portion of sovereign power; it must be exercised by them in their collective capacity as provided by constitutional law…” (Halleck, p. 351). On June 4th 1812, President James Madison asked the Congress to declare war; the latter immediately approved Madison’s proposal.

After much debate, and only by six votes, the Senate also approved Madison’s proposal (Katcher, et.al., p. 3). Based on this approved process of declaring war existing at such time, the War of 1812 is considered legal. The primary causes of the War of 1812 are the policies of impressment and trade imposed by the British Empire. Impressment subjected British subjects to compulsory military service and in service to the war being fought by the British Empire against Napoleon Bonaparte. Many British subjects who did not want to serve in the British military found work in many of the US ships and other American workplaces.

Some Americans were also illegally impressed into service by the British military. This angered many Americans. Due to the war waging between France and Britain, America could not freely trade and transport its goods across the sea without being seized or boarded by either the French or the British ships. Many ships and goods were lost to either the British or the French. And “with so many losses of ships and cargoes, “Free Trade and Sailor Rights”, became the rallying cry of Americans who opposed Britain’s control of the seas” (Childress, p. 8). In this sense, the cause of the War of 1812 may be considered as economic.

The secondary cause of the war is that the United States wanted to expand its territories to the north. And while it was expanding its territories to the north, it was meeting a lot of resistance from the Indians. Many of the Indians did not want to give up their lands and be relocated farther up north. And they rejected the American colonials and were prompted to ally themselves with the British Empire. Nevertheless, many Indians sold their lands to the Americans, and American troops soon moved into these areas.

This resulted to armed skirmishes between the resistant Indians and the American military. Indians refusing to accept American colonizers now actively joined British service. The United States was at fault for the conflict becoming a hot war. The impressments and trade policies of the British Empire was reason enough for the United States to declare war on Britain. And such reasons alone could have kept the war between the British Empire and the United States, however, the latter’s expansion and invasion of the northern territories led to the war becoming an even bigger one.

Madison wanted to conquer Canada. And such desire necessitated the involvement of the Indians and other Canadians who were peacefully occupying their northern territories. And the exploitive practices of the American people on the Indian lands spurred the Natives into taking up arms against the colonials. “The newcomers not only wanted to take land, but the agricultural economy they brought with them changed the environment, as they cut down the forests, chased away the game, and rendered existing native subsistence patterns non-viable” (Benn, p. 18). The British Empire also has its share of responsibility in the escalation of the war when it refused to allow Russia to negotiate a peace between these two nations.

The latest probable time for the conflict to have been avoided was when the American charge’ d’ affaires in London proposed an armistice in exchange for a renunciation of impressment. Britain refused. When Detroit was taken by the British, the Empire was now eager to consider the armistice agreement with the US. This time however, President Madison refused Britain’s offer because he really wanted to take control of Canada (Benn, p. 82). The diplomatic channels which were being opened at several points in the conflict could have prevented the war.

These two factions had a chance to peacefully resolve the conflict if only they inclined towards less lofty and selfish goals. Through the Treaty of Ghent, both parties agreed to end the war. From the point of view of the United States, they won the war. Many analysts still say that it is a very complicated war to call. The British Empire was able to retain control of its Northern territories in Canada, and the United States was able to regain control of its territories. The U.S. suffered financial losses from the war.

Both parties also agreed to restore the Indians to the territories which were seized from them. Trade relations were restored. “London business interests had learned enough to shift their investments in anticipation of renewed trade with the United States” (Benn, p. 82). On further analysis of the outcome of the war, no one really won because status quo was restored and both sides suffered losses from the war. The country that started the war, the United States, did not achieve its goal.

The United States was not able to gain control of the northern territories of the British Empire. It was also not able to seize control of the Indian territories. The United States did not achieve its goal for expansion because the Treaty of Ghent restored the status quo of all the warring factions. The Treaty of Ghent which brought the War of 1812 to a close is relevant in the sense that it gave territorial gains for both Canada and the U.S. , “but did establish boundary commissions to settle the welter of territorial disputes that still plagued the northeastern border of the United States with Canada” (Pastor, p. 52). The War of 1812 also directed the expansion of the U.S. to the west rather than the northwest.

Canada was no longer an object of contention between the United States and Britain, and this gave way to Canada’s eventual detachment from the British Empire. These are the more relevant and long-term effects of the War of 1812. Works CitedBenn, C. (2002) The War of 1812. California: Osprey PublishingChildress, D. (2004). The War of 1812. Minnesota: Lerner PublishingColes, H. (1966) The War of 1812. Chicago: University of Chicago PressHalleck, H. (1861) International Law. New York: D Van Nostrand PublishingKatcher, P., et.al., (1990) The American War, 1812-1814.

California: Osprey Publishing,Pastor, R. (1998) The controversial pivot: the U.S. Congress and North America. New Jersey: Brookings Institution Press

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Politics of war extra Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words”, n.d.)
Politics of war extra Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1553990-politics-of-war-extra
(Politics of War Extra Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words)
Politics of War Extra Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1553990-politics-of-war-extra.
“Politics of War Extra Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1553990-politics-of-war-extra.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Politics of war extra

Long Term Effects of Being a Non-Union Actor

This research is being carried out to show that non-union actors suffer from low self-esteem after working as an extra for a long period due to the significantly lower pay rate they receive as opposed to union actors who work as extras.... If the production is to convey a busy street scene, that scene requires a host of extras to make the scene believable, therefore, the presence of each and every extra constitutes a completed realistic scene that the viewer finds credible....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

From Isolation to War 1931- 1941

However, there comes one book that surpasses its peers in the extra-ordinary arena of professional excellence.... This book, From Isolation to war 1931-1941, authored by John Edward Wiltz, and published by Harlan Davidson, 2 sub edition (January 1991), ISBN-10: 0882958763, ISBN-13: 978-0882958767, running into 220 pages of pulsating excitement, vividly portrays the testing times unparalleled in history, between two world wars.... It dispassionately touches the raw nerves where the wounds lay that ultimately proved incapable of healing. Major events such as the Manchurian crisis, the Spanish civil war, the Ethiopian war, the Pacific diplomacy, the bombing of the Pearl Harbor, and the policy of isolation and U....
4 Pages (1000 words) Book Report/Review

Women and Politics

The paper "Women and politics" states that it is important to state that the biological importance given to the male community is the seedbed of all the chaos.... hellip; Generally speaking, it is really essential to state that politics is generally a realm of the power-cantered playground.... Going back in centuries, we can have an overall idea of politics through Aristotle2.... His science of politics encompasses two different fields namely ethics and political philosophy....
8 Pages (2000 words) Coursework

Progressive Era through the Great Depression

This growth caused the government to implement fresh and “progressive” strategies of regulatory interventions and antitrust rules.... Further for regulating… ommercial activity, Progressives, through alliances of intellects, top politicians, and activists, saw to it that government as well instigated the method of regulating the extraction of natural resources through administrative action....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Psychological Problems of People at Work Who Are Not in Trade Unions

The paper "Psychological Problems of People at Work Who Are Not in Trade Unions" shows that non-union actors suffer from low self-esteem after working as an extra for a long period due to the significantly lower pay rate they receive as opposed to union actors who work as extras.... In fact, if the extra happens to lack union status, that extra's pay is decimated by as much as 50% of what a union member would be paid for the same work.... a practicing assistant district attorney, works as an extra because he enjoys the work....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

Far Right and Green Politics in European Countries

On the other hand, the far right started to reemerge cautiously in the 1980s, deliberately distancing themselves from the extreme right groups, such as the fascists, which had been resoundingly defeated by the liberal democracies during the World war II.... The paper “Far Right and Green politics in European Countries” states that environmentalist movements had transformed from protest powers to political parties while the ultra-right, mindful of their discredit in the WWII, were reformatted, reducing their radicalism....
14 Pages (3500 words) Term Paper

The Pluralists and Structuralists' View on the Role of Non-State Actors in World Politics

extra attention is given to their general importance for their contribution to world affairs and interstate affairs, while very little attention is given to their contribution to policymaking and organization behavior.... The paper "The Pluralists and Structuralists' View on the Role of Non-State Actors in World politics" views since there is no other institution with the power to command power in the political area apart from states, it is important to welcome the role played by non-state actors in world politic....
8 Pages (2000 words) Literature review

Challenges Facing the International Political Economy

The paper "Challenges Facing the International Political Economy" highlights that in order to end IOC, nations must coordinate their efforts from drug policies to monitoring laundered profits – the Interpol and the United Nations provide frameworks for such coordination.... hellip; Besides international peace and security, IOC disrupts free markets because mafias are involved in the supply of massive volumes of legal and illicit goods alike, raking in colossal profits(Arlacchi, 1986) besides extortion (Konrad & Skaperdas, 1998)....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us