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By 1812, American vessels had spent years caught in the crossfire of commercial warfare between Britain and France. The Americans were outraged by repeated British violations of American sovereignty and maritime rights. A strident group of Republicans from the western frontier, known as the War Hawks, advocated a declaration of war against Britain. Their calls for military action drowned out the warnings of many congressmen from the northeast who were vehemently opposed to war. In June of 1812, President Madison reluctantly signed a declaration of war, and the fledgling American nation took on the British military machine. |
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