Opposition to the War of 1812 in the United States facts for kids
The War of 1812 was a big conflict for the United States. But not everyone in the country supported it. Many people, especially in New England, were against the war. They had political, economic, and even religious reasons for their opposition.
Before the war, the United Kingdom (Britain) and France were causing problems for American trade. The U.S. tried to stop trade with both countries using the Embargo Act of 1807. This law didn't work well. Britain kept its "Orders in Council" (rules about trade), and France continued its own decrees.
Some members of the Democratic-Republican Party, called "war hawks," felt the U.S. had to fight back. They wanted to declare war on Britain. They said it was like a "second war for independence." Leaders like Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun pushed for war in Congress. They believed it was important to protect America's honor and independence.
Many people strongly protested against the war, which some called "Mr. Madison's War" (referring to President James Madison). These protests were strongest in areas where the Federalist Party was popular, especially in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The governors of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island even refused to let their state militias fight outside their own states.
After the war started, some members of Congress who had voted for it lost their jobs in the next election. Eight congressmen from New England were not re-elected. Others decided not to run again. The entire group of representatives from New Hampshire changed.
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Why Federalists Opposed the War
The Federalist Party was against fighting Britain even before 1812. They had also opposed the Embargo of 1807. While many Democratic-Republicans saw the war as a "test" for the young country, Federalists warned against it. They believed war would hurt American trade.
When Congress voted on war, all members who supported it were Republicans. Twenty-two Republicans and forty Federalists voted against declaring war. After President Madison declared war, the Federalists in the House of Representatives wrote a public statement. They called themselves the "party of peace" and disagreed with Madison's reasons for war. As the war went on, New England Federalists continued to oppose it.
However, this doesn't mean everyone in New England was against the war effort. Much of the money for the war came from this region. Many soldiers and sailors also came from New England. For example, Elbridge Gerry, the Vice President, and William Eustis, the Secretary of War, were from Massachusetts. A respected U.S. general, Henry Dearborn, was from New Hampshire. Talented naval officers like Isaac Hull, Charles Morris, and Oliver Hazard Perry were also New Englanders. New England also sent more private ships (privateers) to attack British ships than any other state.
Throughout the war, Federalists in Congress tried to block bills that would give more money for the war. In September 1814, President Madison proposed a draft (conscription) to get more soldiers. Federalists openly opposed this plan. They compared it to Napoleon's mass draft in France, trying to link Republicans to the French emperor.
The Federalists had little power over national policy. As the war continued, they became more and more frustrated. Some in New England began to suggest changes to the Constitution. They hoped these changes would give their region more influence in the government.
The Hartford Convention
In December 1814, the Hartford Convention was held in Connecticut. Twenty-six delegates from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Vermont and New Hampshire attended. They met to discuss possible changes to the Constitution. Many Federalists in Massachusetts believed this meeting was the only way to save the country from Republicans and avoid a civil war.
The convention's final report suggested several changes to the Constitution. However, when the delegates arrived in Washington to present their ideas, they heard big news. A peace treaty with Britain, the Treaty of Ghent, had just been signed. This treaty basically returned things to how they were before the war. This news weakened the Federalists' position. They returned home with little support, and the Federalist Party continued to decline.
Public Opposition to the War
When the war began, many Americans resisted it. Some militias refused to fight. Bankers even refused to lend money to the government. A newspaper in Massachusetts, the Salem Gazette, reprinted an old essay by Madison himself. This essay argued for states' rights against the national government. The newspaper used this to oppose the government trying to force state militias into national service.
While some patriotism supported the war, especially outside Federalist areas, opposition grew. As the war went on and the U.S. lost many battles on land, more people, not just Federalist leaders, became against the war. Because of this, fewer people volunteered for the army.
For example, after the British captured Fort Niagara, General George McClure tried to call up the local militia. But most would not respond. They were tired of being drafted and of McClure's past failures. McClure wrote that even those who did show up were more interested in "taking care of their families and property" than fighting. There were many cases of militias refusing to enter Canada or simply not following orders to move into Canadian territory.
National efforts to recruit soldiers also struggled. Congress allowed the War Department to recruit 50,000 volunteers for one year. But only 10,000 could be found. The army never reached even half its planned size. A national draft plan was suggested in Congress but was defeated with help from Daniel Webster. However, some states did pass their own draft policies. Even Kentucky, the home state of the "war hawk" Henry Clay, only provided 400 recruits in 1812. It was only after the war ended that it became popular again.
Backlash Against Opponents
Once the war was declared, many Democratic-Republicans saw opposition as treason or close to it. The Washington National Intelligencer newspaper wrote that "WAR IS DECLARED, and every patriot heart must unite in its support... or die without due cause." The Augusta Chronicle said, "he who is not for us is against us."
This feeling was very strong in Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore was a fast-growing city with many recent French, Irish, and German immigrants. These new citizens were eager to show their patriotism. In early 1812, several riots broke out. They focused on the anti-war Federalist newspaper, the Federal Republican. A mob destroyed its offices. Local officials, who supported the war, said they disapproved of the violence but did little to stop it.
When the editors of the Federal Republican tried to return, a mob took them from jail on July 27. The mob tortured them. One Revolutionary War veteran, James Lingan, died from his injuries. After this, opponents of the war in Baltimore largely stopped speaking out. However, Federalists used this incident to publicize Lingan's funeral. Stories about it were printed across the country.
The Baltimore riots were the worst violent backlash during the war. The war's popularity dropped through 1813 and 1814. But after the war, when the Hartford Convention's plans became public just after the peace treaty was signed, there was a long-term backlash against the Federalist Party. The party became linked with ideas of leaving the Union and treason. The Federalist Party never became powerful nationally again. They had their last presidential candidate in 1816 and completely disappeared by the late 1820s.
Lasting Impact of the Opposition
The War of 1812 was the first war declared by the United States. Some historians see it as the first time widespread anti-war feelings developed. (However, there was some anti-war feeling during the Quasi-War and the First Barbary War too.)
There isn't a direct connection between those who opposed the War of 1812 and later anti-war movements. The Federalist Party's objections were not based on pacifism (a belief that all war is wrong). Also, this "anti-war" party disappeared soon after peace was made.
The end of the war also helped make the Federalist Party unpopular. Republicans quickly criticized the Hartford Convention, especially after the American victory at New Orleans.
However, the war did lead to the creation of the New York Peace Society in 1815. This group aimed to prevent similar wars in the future. The New York Peace Society was the first peace organization in the United States. It lasted in different forms until 1940. Many other peace societies soon formed, including the American Peace Society. This national organization was created in 1828 by combining the Massachusetts Peace Society and similar groups from New York, Maine, and New Hampshire. The American Peace Society still exists today.
The War of 1812 is not as well-known as 20th-century U.S. wars. But no other war had such strong opposition from elected officials. Historian Donald R. Hickey has said that "The War of 1812 was America's most unpopular war. It generated more intense opposition than any other war in the nation's history, including the war in Vietnam."
