In class today we began to discuss the beginnings of the war of 1812 and the different factors that led up to 1812. In the years previous to the war, the US had built up a great fleet of merchant ships. The French and British were in a heated relationship due to the Battle of Trafalgar and Napoleon's Continental System. Both countries cut off trade because the Americans were staying neutral and not choosing a side, while the Americans were trying to trade with both of the countries. Even though the neutrality proclamation was supposed to keep the US out of conflict, it actually caused them more because now both France and Britain wondered who the Americans would back up if push came to shove, so they just both cut off trade. The British used the tactic of impressment to get more soldiers and people to man their ships, and was especially seen in the years leading up to the war of 1812 creating serious tension between Britain and the US. This impressment was seen at the Chesapeake and Leopard incident, where British "impressed" American crew members. Jefferson was outraged at the impressment of American citizens and waged economic warfare with his Embargo Act of 1807. This act restrained any American ships from going to foreign ports, Jefferson hoped that this lack of trade would cause Britain and France to come running to him, however it was killing the economy back in American. This was positive in the long run, however, because it made the US have to figure out how to fend for it self and become more self sufficient. At the time the economy was dying, so Jefferson switched from the Embargo Act to the Non-Intercourse Act of 1809, which was specifically aimed at halting trade with Britain and France.
All these things and more, caused tensions that eventually led up to the War of 1812.
Thank you so much for posting this Carmen!
ReplyDeleteFYI for anyone reading this who was not in class, in this case impressment is basically forcing American sailors to work on the British ships. This is a bit like slavery which is one of the reasons that Jefferson was so opposed. (It's a bit ironic that he was a slave holder himself and yet he was so outraged by impressment)
Awesome post Carmen! This helped me clarify a lot.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to just add on to what you said about the Chesapeake incident. The reason that it provoked so much outrage was that London had never claimed the right to seize sailors from other country's warships, so when the American commander refused the British captain's order to surrender four deserters, the British were completely in the wrong when retaliating by firing at the Chesapeake.