War of 1812: An Example of the Value in a Congressional Declaration of War

A few years back, I got into a disagreement with a Canadian friend over who won the War of 1812; America or Canada/Britain?  I had been taught through the American public school system that we had won.  My friend had been taught in his native land that Canada had won.  Who was right?  Turns out, we both were. 

Two hundred years ago, and as recently as World War II, wars were declared in accordance with the U.S. Constitution, specifically, through a formal declaration from Congress.  This was done for several important reasons.  The first was that an approval from Congress signified that a war had the nation’s approval, namely the people and states they represented.  Second, wars are to be formally declared by Congress so that clear objectives could be established.  Once those objectives were met, the war would end.  Let me repeat that.  Once objectives set by Congress were met, the war would end. 

There were several but two main objectives the United States sought to accomplish by starting war with the British Empire in 1812.  The first was to stop the British Royal Navy from pressing American seamen into their service.  Basically, the British were kidnapping our citizens.  Second, the United States wanted to put a stop to the British and Canadian practice of inciting Native American attacks against American pioneers on our nation’s western borders.  Today, we would likely call this “terrorism,” but the British and French use of Native Americans in this manner was a common practice by 1812.

 

The Canadians had their own objective, too, as my friend pointed out; prevent the Americans from taking over their country!  By 1814 the British had stopped kidnapping U.S. sailors and coaxing Native American attacks against Americans.  The Canadians had also successfully prevented the United States from taking over Canada.  With objectives met by both belligerents, the war ended.  The war lasted only two years!  Imagine that, if you can.

The U.S. started the War of 1812 two hundred years ago this month.  At least President Madison went to war legally through a declaration of war from Congress, a forgotten practice for our now Constitutionally ignorant and indifferent nation.