When faced with differing threats, one haphazard and domestic the other formidable and foreign, both James Madison and Abraham Lincoln understood their audience and attempted to exploit this knowledge. While the specific details of why the United States went to war with Great Britain in 1812 and with the “so-called ‘Confederate States” in 1861, the similarities in language and imagery are evident. In their respective addresses to congress on the topic of impending or open war, both Presidents Madison and Lincoln attempt to appeal to the legislatures sense of patriotism, honor and pride in justifying their actions or desires. Of the two, President Madison has arguably the more clear-cut and easily justifiable reason to go to war with Great Britain. As he says, British ships “…have been in the continued practice of violating the American flag on the great highway of nations” (25) not by harmlessly harassing them but by “…seizing and carrying off persons sailing under it” (25) In other words the British have instituted a harsh, and in Madison’s eyes unreasonable policy of recklessly impressing United States sailors and citizens. Within the first few sentences of his address, Madison has already set the stage by painting Great Britain as the powerful aggressor and American vessels and sailors as the helpless and powerless victims. Of course the British have not only engaged in the violation of the rights of “neutral vessels” which they “…would be so prompt to avenge if committed against herself” but also “…of violating the rights and peace of our coasts.” (26) Madison contends that the British are enforcing a “pretended blockade” because the British do not have an adequate force present or the “practicability of applying one”. Madi... ... middle of paper ... ...ut still the similarities remain striking and fascinating. I would not doubt that examination of similar speeches throughout the history of civilization would yield the same revelations. Both Presidents Madison and Lincoln attempt to stir their audience into action by appealing to their innate sense of patriotism, duty and pride. The prospect of war is never taken lightly and I believe both these men understood that, Lincoln more than any previous president. Both men expertly navigated a delicate political situation in similar ways, first and foremost presenting the country as the victim. This is something they both understood well. But Lincoln more than Madison also appealed to Congress’ understanding of the law and the Constitution and how it affects all citizens. Lincoln was resolute in his convictions and clearly always went forward with a “manly heart[s]”.
The primary grievances of the United States that led to war with Britain was Britain interfering with trade on the high seas. According to the primary source handout on the war of 1812, “On 7 january 1807, a British Order in Council had prohibited ships from participating in the coastal trade of France and her allies” (34). The embargoes hurt the U.S far more than they did britain. Britain also were inciting Indian attacks on the frontier. But the number one grievance that lead Madison to declare the war was that british ships continually violated the American flag on the great highway of nation.
The best presidents that the United states has ever seen have to have been Abe Lincoln or George Washington. They were both loyal and cared about their country. George Washington founded the base for our beautiful country that we live in to this day. Abe Lincoln put a stop to slavery during his presidency before he was shot in the back of the head and murdered in the Ford Theater. They both put a lot of time and effort into building our country up. George Washington was an Army general and fought in many hard battles in the cold and across rivers and lakes. We have a lot to thank these men for and lots to learn from their noble actions. Living in their legacy is the whole United States that thanks them for their service. Another great president
The American Civil War not only proved to be the country’s deadliest war but also precipitated one of the greatest constitutional crises in the history of the United States. President Lincoln is revered by many Americans today as a man of great moral principle who was responsible for both preventing the Union’s dissolution as well as helping to trigger the movement to abolish slavery. In retrospect, modern historians find it difficult to question the legitimacy of Lincoln’s actions as President. A more precise review of President Lincoln’s actions during the Civil War, however, reveals that many, if not the majority, of his actions were far from legitimate on constitutional and legal grounds. Moreover, his true political motives reveal his
After all, many believe that war with Britain would end the troubles Americans were having with Indians on the frontier. These critics might bring up that the British were arming and inciting the Native American Indians to attack American settlers. It It is true that the British supplied the Native Americans with weapons and incited them to fight Americans was a cause for the war of 1812. However, what these critics don't yet understand is that it wasn't the MAIN cause for the war of 1812. There were many minor causes that led Americans to declare war on Britain in 1812 such as the troubles with the Indians on the frontier ,but the main causes were the impressment of American soldiers and ships and expansion of United States into
The essays, “Death of Abraham Lincoln” and “The Timely Death of President Harding”, critique society’s tendency to respect the dead and glorify the presidents’ former lives regardless of their characteristics while living.
All the presidents in the past have played an important part in shaping our country the way it is today. Either for better or for worse. James Madison is one of the presidents which made a difference for the better and probably did some of the best actions for our country. He did his job with pride for The United States of America and he did his job humbly with efficiency. That is why I look up to this American Hero.
The turmoil between the North and South about slavery brought many issues to light. People from their respective regions would argue whether it was a moral institution and that no matter what, a decision on the topic had to be made that would bring the country to an agreement once and for all. This paper discusses the irrepressible conflict William H. Seward mentions, several politician’s different views on why they could or could not co-exist, and also discusses the possible war as a result.
Four and a half months after the Union defeated the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. He gave the Union soldiers a new perspective on the war and something to fight for. Before the address, the Civil War was based solely on states’ rights. Lincoln’s speech has the essence of America and the ideals that were put into the Declaration of Independence by the founders. The sixteenth president of the United States was capable of using his speech to turn a war on states rights to a war on slavery and upholding the principles that America was founded upon. By turning the Civil War into a war that was about slavery he was able to ensure that no foreign country would recognize the south as an independent nation, thus ensuring Union success in the war. In his speech, Lincoln used the rhetorical devices of juxtaposition, repetition, and parallelism.
On June 1st, 1812, President James Madison declared war on the British for many reasons. In his war message, Madison brought three unpardonable British acts to Congress’s attention. The first, impressment. “Thousands of American citizens, under the safeguard of public law and of their national flag, have been torn from their country and from everything dear to them,” (War Message to Congress, Paragraph 4). British Navy ships would stop American ships to search for British deserters. This often resulted in natural American citizens being apprehended and forced into the British navy. During this time, Britain was at war with Napoleon and wanted to hurt France economically. To do so, Britain tried to restrict French trade with other nations, including America. “Not content with these occasional expedients for laying waste our neutral trade, the cabinet of Britain resorted at length to...
Abraham Lincoln wrote one of the greatest speeches in American history known as the Gettysburg Address. It was not only used as a dedication to the fallen troops of the North and South, but as a speech to give the Union a reason to fight and attempt to unite the divided nation. The sixteenth president’s handling of his speech at Gettysburg demonstrated how the effectiveness of juxtaposition, repetition, and parallelism, could bring unity to a nation deeply divided on beliefs. His speech touched the hearts of many and indirectly put an end to the Civil War. Lincoln may have been considered a tyrant at the time but he was a great leader of a nation, a war, and a democracy.
• The War of 1812 was similar to Jefferson’s Barbary conflict. American sailors were being impressed by England. The Committee on Foreign Relations of the United States House of Representatives stated in their report, “The non-intercourse and non-importation laws, which invited the return of both powers to their former state of amicable relations, by offering
In June of 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain for several reasons, the primary of which was the impressment of U.S. Sailors on the high seas for use in the British Navy. Once declared, the United States, under President John Madison, took the initiative and conducted a series of attacks into Canada resulting in the burning of government buildings. The British eventually repelled the attacks and took to the offensive striking at America and setting Washington D.C. ablaze in the summer of 1814. By the time the battle of New Orleans takes place in January of 1815, the Treaty of Ghent had already been signed signaling the official end to the war, however, the speed of trans-Atlantic communication proved too slow to prevent this last battle in the War of 1812. The battle of New Orleans has Major General Andrew Jackson lead U.S. Army regulars, New Orleans citizens, and militiamen from various surrounding states to repel the attacks of British General Edward Pakenham and the infantry troops he commanded (War of 1812, 2012). A series of poor decisions by the British coupled with terrain obstacles, technology and the ability to seize the initiative contributed to their defeat on 8 January 1815. This paper will examine the battle preparations and maneuvers that led to the British defeat and highlight some of the key factors in deciding the outcome of the battle.
At the age of eleven James Madison was the oldest of his siblings and he began to peak an interest in intellectual earnestness. At age eleven Madison began schooling with a Donald Robertson. Robertson’s school was located in King and Queens County, Virginia. Robertson received his education from the University of Edinburgh. Robertson ran an extremely rigorous school of cla...
... valuable land and interfere the relationship between the British and Native Indians. Finally, the last reason is that United States saw declaring the war of 1812 was the second war of independence. Based on these reasons, there is no wonder that the United States would declare war on the Britain.
The speech President Lincoln gave to congress on June 16, 1964, was marked as one of the greatest speeches of all time. The famous quote by President Lincoln, “A house divided against itself, will not stand” was the motto for the civil war. What he meant by that was the United States was no longer united. That if we continue to fight amongst ourselves that we would not, as a single united country, prosper. The speech took a great toll on the congress and it was decided that it would be in the country’s best interest if slavery would be illegalized in the United States of America.