Short Summary: The War Of 1812

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The War of 1812 In June 1812, during President James Madison’s administration the congress of the United States declared war on Britain. The main reasons that led to the declaration of the war were led by a powerful motivation to uphold national honor in face of what the American considered British insults. The British attempted to restrict the highly profit American trade with Napoleonic France that was locked in a long and bitter conflict with them. The British Royal navy seized American ships, cargoes, and American sailors under the act of impressment. The British removed the sailors from their American ships and forced them to serve on British vessels. Britain claimed that those mariners were deserters from the Royal navy even though the majority of them had documents…show more content…
That is why the British supported the Indians and recruited them as allies against their mutual enemy; the Americans. British commander–in-chief in North America Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost maintained a defensive strategy with his Indian and Canadian allies to defend Lower Canada from the American invading force led by Brigadier General William Hull who crossed the Detroit River on July 12, 1812. As soon as he learned of the outbreak of war British commander in Upper Canada Major General Isaac Brock ordered Captain Charles Roberts to capture Fort Mackinac, an American fort situated on an island of strategic importance. 600 British regulars, fur traders, voyagers, and Indian warriors surrendered the Fort causing American Lieutenant Porter Hank to surrender among with his 61 soldiers on July 17, 1812. Surprised by the fall of Fort Mackinac General Hull retreat his forces to the American side of the Detroit River and ordered Captain Nathan Heald to retreat his modest group of soldiers, militiamen, women and children out of Fort Dearborn to the safety of Fort
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