The United States had many reasons for going to war in 1812: Britain’s interference with its trade and impressment of its seamen; Americans’ desire to expand settlement into Indian, British, and Spanish territories; aspirations to conquer Canada and end British influence in North America; and upholding the nation’s sovereignty and vindicating its honor.
However, nations go to war infrequently, and a more interesting question is why the United States declared war. While the young members of Congress—the War Hawks—were in favor of war, the nation’s two presidents during this era, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, were not. Both viewed war and its consequences—a standing army, increase in government size, and debt—as antithetical to republicanism. They were convinced instead that self-imposed restrictions on American trade would force Britain and France, who were fighting in the Napoleonic Wars, to respect American neutrality.
The New England states particularly feared great losses to their trade, and their representatives in Congress voted against war. Others argued that America was totally unprepared for war against the mighty British Empire. Perhaps, however, War Hawk John C. Calhoun glimpsed the real cause in his observation that the conflict was “a second struggle for our liberty,” to finish the struggle for our independence.
<span>The members of the Third Estate failed to achieve a proportional vote.
Hope this helps. :)
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Martin Luther led the people
Reduces their power--elites in Latin America control economic and political aspects of society. Reforms would provide more groups with rights, reducing the influence of the elite.
In any country, elites often control the means of production and the political system. Reforms, especially coming from lower classes or oppressed groups, would potentially reduce the power and influence the elite group has. This has been true through many revolutionary movements.
