In June of 1812 the United States declared war on Britain. This
declaration was the result of almost thirty years of stormy relations between the two nations. It both took the British by surprise and worried many Americans who saw it as a foolish endeavor. The United States, maintained a cautious neutrality through successive administrations since 1789. The potential risks in changing this policy and settling the existing grievances against Britain by force were many.
The United States objected to many British maritime practices. The British carried out most of these practices in the 1790's during the first period of the war between Britain and France. However, they enforced them much more often after the renewed hostilities in 1803. The British shipping interests and their supporters also felt the
American merchant marine was profiting immensely from the
European wars. This growth of American shipping was a threat to British commercial supremacy, to British naval power,......
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