Reference no: EM133676261

Question 

Discuss the merits of this analysis Alan Taylor provides a fascinating narrative about the many parties interested in the War of 1812. My admittedly basic understanding of the war is - the battle between the Republican party, who were interested in pursuing a war with Great Britain, and the so-called Federalist Party, whose opposition to the war nearly led to the secession of the northern states. This is a basic summary of the path to war led by President James Madison and documented in countless biographies and other histories of his administration and the war. Taylor bypasses another retelling of the best-known land and sea battles in pursuit of a broader picture of the war. He uses many fascinating aspects of the period to provide a broad canvas highlighting the many parties engaged and how the various parties hoped to benefit. He gives a cogent review of little-known aspects, particularly for the reader not familiar with much of the political and economic history, including the partition of Canada by the British, the creation of the new colonies of Lower Canada, with a primarily French population, and Upper Canada, settled mainly by Loyalists who fled from the North American colonies, the emigration of Irish refugees fleeing from troubles in the home country, and finally the indigenous population. The Americans and the British had remarkably similar objectives. The British sought to use the new Canadian constitution to attract Americans looking to relocate to upper Canada for various reasons. The Americans had a similar objective but with a focus on lower Canada. Both sides experienced military failures in attempting to achieve these objectives. The Irish emigrants sought to escape turmoil at home, only to discover that racist attitudes toward them still prevailed in North America. The fifth key actor was the indigenous communities. While the British had some success in using indigenous people for military purposes, the absolute truth is that none of the other parties really gained or lost very much. However, the clock did start on what became a vast and well-organized Federal effort to kill the indigenous people or simply push them out of the way to support American expansionism. The Civil War of 1812 can be seen as an extension of the preceding Revolutionary War as it did provide some resolution of trade issues with the British. The British attempted to enforce the old Navigation Act to impede trade with the United States. This issue was central to both American and British hopes for a successful outcome to the war. In this sense, the war can be seen as an economic fight, which Madison, John Jay, and John Quincy Adams clearly understood. American expansionism, attitudes toward the Irish emigrants, and the French remaining in Canada were issues well understood by the British but had little impact on the war. That neither party to the war was inclined to truly support the indigenous people was hardly surprising and led to extermination wars in the immediate period following the end of the war.