War of 1812
By Anthony Ross
Causes
While America is decieding if they should go to war a Native American tribal leader named Tecumseh attempts to unite tribes in the Indiana Territory to fight the U.S. government. Tecumseh was successful in uniting the tribes into a confederacy but Tecumseh's was in no way prepared for a surprise attack by the U.S. Army under the command of William Henry Harrison, Governor of the Indiana Territory. Harrison and his men successfully stop the rebellion at the Battle of Tippecanoe.
The U.S. could have resolved all their conflicts with Britain and the Native American tribes but the U.S. had a new problem on their hands, War Hawks, war hawks were young U.S. Senator that desperately wanted to wage war with Britain. Henry Clay a Senator from Kentucky was encouraging war with Britain for their involvement in the Native American attacks on the U.S. government. Since Kentucky is on the boarder of the Indiana Territory they had more of an impact from the attacks than most U.S. states. John C. Calhouh on the other hand was far away from the battles in the Indiana Territory. Senator Calhouh was from South Carolina and even though he was not effected by the battles, his state was greatly effected by the British impressment on American ships. Both war hawks wanted a war with Britain to protect and defend America's honor plus they wanted to gain Canada.