¶ … War of 1812. There are six references used for this paper.
There have been a number of battles fought by the United States over the years. It is important to examine the War of 1812 and determine the major weaknesses in the United States National structure, and how these weaknesses were later addressed by the Republican Nationalists.
British Occupation
The United States Government's weaknesses became in apparent when "following the Revolutionary war, the British refused to leave their posts in an effort to preserve both the flourishing fur trade and the improving relations with the Native American, (www.graves.k12.ky.us/schools/GCHS/bleonard/unit%20three%20study%2.)."
The British occupation led to the War of 1812, however the country was divided on whether to fight the war or not. "The declaration of war had been made with military preparations still far from complete. There were fewer than 7,000 regular soldiers, distributed in widely scattered posts along the coast, near the Canadian border and in the remote interior. These soldiers were to be supported by the undisciplined militia of the states (www.usemb.se/usis/history/chapter4.html)." The lack of militia skill was evident when an invasion of Canada failed, resulting in Detroit being taken by the British. The failures of the militia were soon replaced with victories by U.S. Navy, restoring the confidence of the troops, and eventually resulting in Detroit being recaptured by the United States.
Identifying Weaknesses
Prior to the War of 1812, the viewpoint of the military had become one of disdain. Militia training "was 'mostly a farce, nothing but an exhibition of rags, caps, and broomsticks,' a United States senator from Rhode Island observed. It was merely 'mock military duty,' and an excuse for 'riot, drunkenness, and every species of immorality, which the pageant boobies, called officers had neither intelligence...
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