An Analysis of the Events Leading to the War of 1812

It is vital to fully understand the events that led to this time in history for the reader to gasp the seriousness and sheer brutality of the War of 1812. These events had a major influence on the undeveloped country and its society which caused complications for the nation down the line.

In the spring of 1805, Aaron Burr, Vice President to Thomas Jefferson, a runaway due to his actions against Alexander Hamilton, is found on Blennerhassett Island, Louisiana. He committed murder in an altercation for the location of governor of New York. Burr would find himself in a bundle of more distress as time went on. Burr would make his approach to Andrew Jackson’s land where he would ask for the construction of two boats. Every politician Burr visited during this period he would request a number of boats made. Burr seemed to be organizing a takeover of the South but rather was preparing himself for a possible Spanish attack from Florida. To abbreviate a long story Burr would be blamed of treason to the Union and would be put on trial. His motives of origin would be exposed in the conclusion and he would be innocent.

Approximately around the time of 1807, Great Britain had established a law which provided them the right to halt any ocean-faring vessel, neutral or allied, so as to examine its sailors for British naval fugitives. “Two days before a grand jury charged Aaron Burr for treason, the thirty-eight-gun frigate USS Chesapeake sailed eastward from the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, bound for station in the Mediterranean. When she was barely beyond the three-mile territorial limit and in international waters, the fifty-gun British frigate HMS Leopard pulled alongside her. The Leopard’s captain demanded the right to search the Chesapeake and detain questionable British deserters. In the wake of the broadside that followed, the United States was almost plunged into what might have come to be called the War of 1807.” The Brits were at war with Napoleon and they desired every man they could acquire. America was not going to stand in their path. But as this matter arose so did the prospect of “Once an Englishman, always an Englishman,” which consequently would mean the arrest of a whole crew was seamlessly fine with the British Navy. American became enraged with this situation.

When the HMS Leopard come up to the US flagship the plan was to get the fugitives and go. As far as the British were concerned they came on right cause which was to retake what was lost but the Americans did not like this and Captain Charles Gordon of the USS Chesapeake would not allow for such a humiliating thing to take place. Gordon would refuse British passage on the ship and in return the British would fire their broadside directly into that of the Chesapeake. The British would soon come aboard Gordon’s ship and commander the three men whom they searched for and left. Gordon sailed back into harbor and uproar was heard from across the Union and would carry on, predominantly with numerous young frontiersmen.

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