The War of 1812 was the result of ongoing political, diplomatic, and economic problems with the English and French, as well as expansionist/territorial issues with the Native American populations along the western regions of All' early 19th century, the United States relied on foreign countries for manufactured goods, as producing goods itself was relatively new. The United States exported raw materials and crops to England and France and received finished products from both nations. In 1803 the Napoleonic Wars (France and Great Britain) were raging, but since the United States traded with both nations, it wanted to remain a neutral party, thus continuing to do business with both countries. American neutrality angered Britain and France, believing that American neutrality benefited the other belligerent in the conflict. Therefore, both France and England took actions to “prevent the United States from trading with each other.” (Brinkley ,189.) More than the French, the English violated the neutral rights of the United States in the extreme by seizing American merchant ships, confiscating cargo, and taking into naval service men, who were presumed to be English deserters. Additionally, Native Americans along the western frontier were encouraged by the English to fight the Americans who threatened to remove them from the western lands as the Americans continued their expansionist movement in that direction. There are three main reasons why the United States declared war against England. First, as the war between England and France intensified, American merchants continued to trade with both countries. In 1805, a British court ruled that enemy assets were not neutralized... middle of paper... The Treaty of Ghent essentially sealed the fate of the Federalist Party, as from then on it carried forward the stigma of disloyalty . Finally, the spirit of patriotism spread following General Jackson's victory at New Orleans. The nation now had new heroes, had proven itself truly to be a force to be reckoned with, and was ready to harness the potential of a new era. After fighting the British for the second time, and emerging unbroken, the sovereignty of the United States would never again be questioned. Works Cited Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People. 5th edition. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008). Tindall, George Brown and Shi, David Emory. America: A Narrative History. 8th edition. Brief. (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2010). Hollinger, Andrew. Chesapeake and Leopard, 1807. Lesson 5:L5:2