Existing comment:
Why War?
Impressment, violations of neutral rights, and the continued British presence along northern borders drew Congress to a declaration of war on June 18, 1812.
After years of conflict with France, England won command of the sea and no longer tolerated American trade with her enemies. Britain enforced its own interpretation of maritime rights, stopping and inspecting neutral shipping and often impressing Americans. President James Monroe estimated that from 1803 to 1812, more than 6,000 American sailors had been impressed, or forcibly enlisted, into the Royal Navy. |