First 5 Persuasive Essay: War of 1812
By: Noah Rand
In the year 1812, James Madison was in office, making him the 4th president of the
U.S.A. On his request, Congress declared war on Great Britain. The day was July 17, 1812.
However, the young country had many problems. These problems would only worsen as the
war dragged on, bringing the country closer to defeat. These are the reasons why the war of
1812 was one of America’s worst decisions.
One of the main issues was the U.S,’s defense forces. The Continental army had still not
been replaced since the Revolutionary war, and the navy had less than 20 ships. Also, Congress
still lacked the funds to fix these problems. The British, on the other hand, were in the exact
opposite situation. They had hundreds of warships, and thousands of well equipped. And to
make matters worse, the British captured many of what few ships the Americans had. To make
matters even worse, they nearly burned Washington D.C. to the ground. America was in no
was ready to deal with the British, and they suffered because of it.
The issue that sparked the war of 1812 was the British occupation of Ohio Valley.
Despite a treaty that stated all British forces had to leave the colonies, they remained in Ohio.
Many Americans, including President James Madison, were furious. When war was finally
declared, then Americans began to question the action. This is another good example why the
War of 1812 was a mistake.
In the end, neither country won the war. Both sides had losses, both naval and on land.
However, the war paved the way for the Monroe doctrine several years later, which would still
influence presidential decisions almost 180 years later. The War of 1812 was a mistake, but it
paved the way for many policies today.