Overview of the war of 1812 started on June 18, 1812 between the United States and Great Britain when the United States of America officially declared War against Great Britain. This declaration of war by the United States against Great Britain was said to have been caused by factors such as the Impressment issue and the need of the Americans to take ownership of the remaining part of the North American continent which during that time was still owned by the Monarchy government of England.
{loadposition content_468}The British government tried to avoid this war with the Americans. In fact, when the British realized that the Americans were seriously thinking of going to war against them on a maritime matter known as the Impressment issue, the British government without hesitation ordered the rebuke of the so called Orders-in-Council. This Orders-in-Council approves the Impressment issue that caused this maritime problem between the Americans and the British.
Overview of the war of 1812 would look on the Impressment issue as the official cause of the Americans to wage war against the British. Impressment is the process which forcibly inducts men into military service. This is the gist of the British Orders-in council which authorized the British Royal Navy to forcibly induct English speaking men into their fleet whom they believe are British deserter sailors . Because of the very harsh condition of serving in the British Royal Navy at that time, the number of desertions became very high. In contrast, American ships provide better working and living conditions with their men at sea. This obtaining condition made many British navy men jump ship to work for American vessels.
As the need for navy personnel to man their various war ships reached a critical point due to desertions, the British Royal Navy imposed impressment in a very blatant and forcible way. They soon begin to stop American ships in high seas and forced able bodied men so long as they speak English, to transfer ship and work for the British Royal navy. This practice in the high seas of the British Royal navy against American vessels caused the “hawks” in the American Congress to agitate for war against Great Britain.
Another maritime issue that irked the “hawks” of the US congress to call for war with the British was the stoppage and seizures the British Royal navy did to American Ships doing trade with France. Overview of The war of 1812 would show us that this measure was made by the British because during that time, they were in a struggle with the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte of France for the control of the Iberian Peninsula. Thus, these two maritime issues were the bases for the Americans to wage war with the British which they officially declared on June 18, 1812 clumped under the Impressment issue.
