What are two reasons that James Madison went to war with Great Britain in the War of 1812?

1 Answer
kat
Nov 21, 2017
  1. The British and the US Navy/shipping
  2. Madison blamed the English for angering the Indians that attacked frontier settlements.

Explanation:

  1. The English had impressed (to coerce someone into government service) Americans into service in their navy. Plus, the British interfered with US shipping, constantly harrassed US ships and did so despite several diplomatic protests. They did not respect the rights of neutrality regarding US ships.

  2. Madison blamed the English for angering the Indians that attacked frontier settlements. The British still maintained forts on the US Northwest and had a long record of arming the Indians against US settlers.

At the time, Madison needed a way to declare American rights to display the success of American nationhood. If the US could not protect themselves, the republic would basically be seen as a disgrace and a huge embarrassment. The war ahead of Madison would be a test for the republic.

Hope that helped!

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