In the years immediately preceding the war (1803-1812), England was dominated by a faction that pledged itself not only to defeat Napoleon but also to maintain British commercial supremacy. The two main points of contention between England and America during this period— -impressment and the restrictions imposed by the Orders in Council—- were direct results of these commitments. America finally had no alternative but to oppose with force British maritime policy, which, although partly caused by jealousy of American commercial growth, stemmed in large measure from involvement in total war with France. In addition to tracing the gradual drift to war in America, Reginald Horsman shows that the Indian problem and American expansionist designs against Canada played small part in bringing about the struggle. He examines the efforts made by America to avoid conflict through means of economic coercion, efforts whose failure confronted the nation with two choices: war or submission to England. Since the latter alternative presented more terrors to the recent colonists, America went to war. [publisher's comments]
Chapters: 1. Background of the Conflict/ 2. The Threat of Invasion/ 3. American Indecision/ 4. A Whig Interlude/ 5. The Monroe- Pinkney Treaty/ 6. Embargo and Orders in Council/ 7. The Failure of Embargo/ 8. Erskine Agreement/ 9. The Problem Of the West/ 10. The Turn Of The Tide/ 11. The Growth of Opposition/ 12. Crisis In The Northwest/ 13. The War Hawks/ 14. America Goes To War/ 15. Conclusion
Expansion as a cause for war -- Economic depression as a cause for war -- The nation's honor and the party's welfare -- Pennsylvania and the economic coercion -- Party solidarity as a motive for war -- Pennsylvania at war.
