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 * THE WAR OF 1812 BY: Rolando N, Garret C, Sabrina K, And Carlos V**

The United States at first attempted to change the policies of the European powers by economic means. In 1807, after the British ship Leopard fired on the American frigate CHESAPEAKE, President Thomas Jefferson urged and Congress passed an EMBARGO ACT banning all American ships from foreign trade. The embargo failed to change British and French policies but devastated New England shipping Later, weaker economic measures were also unsuccessful.Failing in peaceful efforts and facing an economic depression, some Americansbegan to argue for a declaration of war to redeem the national honor. The Congress that was elected in 1810 and met in November 1811 included a group known as the War Hawks who demanded war against Great Britain. These men were all Democratic-Republicans and mostly from the West and South. Among their leaders were John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, Henry Clay of Kentucky, and Felix Grundy of Tennessee. They argued that American honor could be saved and British policies changed by an invasion of Canada. The FEDERALIST PARTY, representing New England shippers who foresaw the ruination of their trade, opposed war

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=﻿THE CAUSE OF THE DEBATE= The first semblance of national political parties in the United States appeared during the debate over ratifying the Constitution. Though the young nation began its life as a confederacy, allowing each of the 13 original states sovereignty, it quickly became apparent to many that a confederal form of government was too weak to effectively govern a burgeoning democracy such as the United States. When the new Constitution meant to replace the original Articles of Confederation was released, two sides quickly polarized in the battle over ratification.

The first faction, the Federalists (named after the federal form of government they advocated), were composed of many of the famed Founding Fathers, including war-hero George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. They were mostly supported by the propertied classes, who felt threatened by the liberal strides towards democracy made in the heady days after the Revolution. The group was intent on ensuring a conservative bent in the new republic, thus protecting their property and allowing them to retain large amounts of their political power.

The second faction, the unimaginatively named Anti-Federalists, were naturally opposed to the proposed Constitution. Composed of much of the lower classes, the Anti-Federalists were wary that the "rich snobs" were pulling the wool over their eyes. A stronger central government, according to them, would threaten the power of the people and become a haven for corruption.

After a fierce debate raging throughout the states, the new Constitution was ratified, and the newly-empowered central government began gaining dominance over the once-proud states. However, more importantly to partisan politics is the formation of the short-lived Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Though neither of the groups survived long, they succeeded in moving America into the embryonic stage in the development of political parties. They illustrate that the nation's politicians will band together around a particular issue and also illustrate the traditional conservative-liberal split between the two major parties that continues to this day. While "parties" in the traditional sense were non-existent in this stage of American history, factions did exist within the country that will someday evolve into the well-oiled party machines America had at the time of the Civil War.

=Effects of the war of 1812 on the U.S.= The United States did gain a measure of international respect for managing to withstand the British Empire. The morale of the citizens was high because they had fought one of the great military powers of the world and managed to survive, which increased feelings of nationalism; the war has often been called the "Second War of Independence." The war also contributed to the demise of the Federalist Party, which had opposed the war. A significant military development was the increased emphasis by General Winfield Scott on improved professionalism in the U.S. Army officer corps, and in particular, the training of officers at the United States Military Academy ("West Point"). This new professionalism would become apparent during the Mexican-American War (1846–1848). The War of 1812 had a dramatic effect on the manufacturing capabilities of the United States. The British blockade of the American coast created a shortage of cotton cloth in the United States, leading to the creation of a cotton-manufacturing industry, beginning at Waltham, Massachusetts by Francis Cabot Lowell.

=**Effects of the war of 1812 on Canada**= The War of 1812 had little impact in Great Britain and was generally forgotten, since it was considered to be insignificant when compared to the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo on 18 June 1815. However, this was not the case in Canada, where the war had been a matter of national survival. The war united the French-speaking and English-speaking colonies against a common enemy, giving many inhabitants a sense of nationhood as well as a sense of loyalty to Britain. At the beginning of the War of 1812 it is estimated that perhaps one third of the inhabitants of Upper Canada were American born. Some were United Empire Loyalists but others had simply come for low-cost land and had little loyalty to the British Crown. For instance, Laura Secord was originally an American immigrant to Upper Canada, but did not hesitate to make her arduous trek to warn the British forces of a pending attack by her former country. This nationalistic sentiment also caused a great deal of suspicion of American ideas like responsible government which would frustrate political reform in Upper and Lower Canada until the Rebellions of 1837. However, the War of 1812 also started the process that ultimately led to Canadian Confederation in 1867. Although later events such as the Rebellions and the Fenian raids of the 1860s were more directly pivotal, Canadian historian Pierre Berton has written that if the War of 1812 had never happened Canada would be part of the United States today, as more and more American settlers would have arrived, and Canadian nationalism would never have developed.



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This picture was was a russian attempt to mediate between lady liberty and john bull