In short, the British dismissed the United States as a haven for blackguards and hypocrites. All British accounts of the war—no matter how brief—concentrate on the perceived inequality of purpose between the conflict across the Atlantic and the one in Europe: with the former being about wounded feelings and inconvenience, and the latter about survival or annihilation. To understand the British point of view, it is necessary to go back a few years, to , when Napoleon ignited a global economic war by creating the Continental System, which closed every market in the French Empire to British goods.
He persuaded Russia, Prussia and Austria to join in. That hope was turned into practice when London issued the retaliatory Orders in Council, which prohibited neutral ships from trading with Napoleonic Europe except under license.
The British noted that the American merchant marine, as one of the few neutral parties left in the game, was doing rather well out of the war: Tonnage between and almost doubled from , to , It was not until the beginning of that Britain belatedly acknowledged the strength of American grievances.
Parliament had just revoked the Orders in Council when the news arrived that President Madison had signed the Declaration of War on June London was convinced that the administration would rescind the declaration once it heard that the stated cause—the Orders in Council—had been dropped.
But when Madison then changed the cause to impressment of American sailors which now numbered about 10, , it dawned on the ministry that war was unavoidable. Britain decided its only course of action was to concentrate on Europe and treat the American conflict as a side issue. Just two battalions and nine frigates were sent across the Atlantic. Command of the North American naval station was given to Adm. Sir John Borlase Warren, whose orders were to explore all reasonable avenues for negotiation.
The first six months of the war produced a mixed bag of successes and failures for both sides. The larger U. But the British took heart from the land war, which seemed to be going their way with very little effort expended.
With the help of Shawnee war chief Tecumseh and the Indian Confederation he built up, the Michigan Territory actually fell back into British possession. In late November an American attempt to invade Upper Canada ended in fiasco. Tecumseh He gets maybe an extra twenty years for his Confederacy.
I honestly think his lands wind up as Upper Canada 2. The British wouldn't want to ruffle American feathers by having the state on their borders, the Americans would be constantly trying to undermine it, and the Canadians would want it for land. All three groups have a vested interest in it not existing nobody consults Tecumseh on this though. I think that Britain leaves it alone, they won't want to spend the money garrisoning it and it will cause unneeded tension with the USA.
Maybe Britain declares the sale null and void and makes America buy it from Spain essentially buying it twice , but that's the most I see happening there. Not within the century maybe, but I doubt that it would continue independence into the 21st Cenutry. I imagine either they join the Canadian confederacy it it's early days when America is building itself back up or they join much later like in OTL Newfoundland. I can imagine Britain, or Canada at least pushing for a balance of power splitting the continent three ways between Britain, the US and Mexico much like Britain's desired balance on the European continent.
Depends if Canada can lobby resources away from more immediately profitable ventures in say India. The whole point of Britain's efforts in was to make the USA stop it and go away. Not to gain territory. To be sure negotiating ploys involve making claims that can be rescinded later on in the negotiations but the aim was securing the border of Canada not extending it.
The purpose of a Native American territory was as a buffer but the inevitability of clashes between the new territory and US settlers would make it more of a risk of future conflict than a contiguous border.
Minor tidying up of the border to Canada's advantage is about as far as it would get at the end of the day. The last thing Britain wanted was to set in place some future causus belli.
Meddling south of the border was not going to happen. As pointed out already the aim of the war for Britain was to stop it as quickly as possible. Even in the event of the British truly and utterly defeating the USA, there isn't much they would want.
Though some may have wanted to annex the colonies, it's fantasy to assume it would happen. Simply put the cost far out-weighs the gains.
Even limited territorial exchanges don't matter so much. With the Treaty of Ghent in place, the United States could move into native lands without fear of British opposition — and they seized the opportunity.
The Americans also looked on the conflict as a victorious second war of Independence against Britain, says Macleod. Your go-to source for all the best Black Friday deals: tech, toys, fashion, mattresses, beauty, wellness, travel and more. The holiday, which is a big deal elsewhere, is becoming a thing here, too. If you're in the market for a new option this cold-weather season, we've rounded up four fashionable finds that will be sure to up your cool factor, while keeping out the cold.
Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. British forces subsequently left the Chesapeake Bay and began gathering their efforts for a campaign against New Orleans. By that time, peace talks had already begun at Ghent modern Belgium , and Britain moved for an armistice after the failure of the assault on Baltimore.
On December 24, , commissioners signed the Treaty of Ghent , which would be ratified the following February. On January 8, , unaware that peace had been concluded, British forces mounted a major attack in the Battle of New Orleans , only to meet with defeat at the hands of future U. News of the battle boosted sagging U. Though the War of is remembered as a relatively minor conflict in the United States and Britain, it looms large for Canadians and for Native Americans, who see it as a decisive turning point in their losing struggle to govern themselves.
The war also marked the demise of the Federalist Party , which had been accused of being unpatriotic for its antiwar stance, and reinforced a tradition of Anglophobia that had begun during the Revolutionary War. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. By terms of the treaty, all conquered territory was to be returned, and commissions were planned to settle the boundary of the United States
0コメント