The War of 1812 has often been called America's forgotten war. Wedged between the Revolution and the Civil War, its causes, battles, and consequences are unknown to most Americans. The primary causes of the War of 1812 were a series of economic revisions adopted by the British and French against the United States as unintended consequences of the Napoleonic Wars and American dissatisfaction with British printing practice, particularly after the he Chesapeake Incident of 1807. In response to the British Executive Orders of 1806, which harmed American commerce, the United States (under Thomas Jefferson) initially attempted various retaliatory embargoes against the British. However, these embargoes did far more harm to the United States than to Britain, angering American citizens and helping the cause of War Hawks (pro-war people) in Congress, such as Henry Clay. In 1812, after defeating DeWitt Clinton in the presidential election, James Madison asked Congress to declare war on Great Britain, which it did. Many battles took place in Canada and the northern United States, as well as naval battles, but neither side was able to gain a definitive advantage. By mid-1814, the War of 1812 was becoming more costly and lasting longer than either side had anticipated. Britain, which had other problems to resolve, chief among them the Napoleonic Wars, began to look for a way out of the war. In the Belgian city of Ghent, American negotiators met with British diplomats. After much discussion, the Treaty of Ghent was signed, officially ending the war. In 1805, when Thomas Jefferson was president, the global balance of power was shaken when the British navy defeated the French navy at the Battle of Trafalgar, but the French army was defeated. the British...... middle of paper ......ar of 1812 is often forgotten in American history because no territory changed hands and there were no lasting effects that could be directly attributed to the war. However, this led to a period of isolationism in which the United States focused on domestic issues, which helped it become a leading power in the world, which it remains today. Works Cited Coffey, Justin. “American presidential election of 1812.” Encyclopedia of American Political Parties and Elections, New York: Facts of File, Inc., 2006. American History Online. Facts from File, Inc. Web. March 7. 2014. Waldman, Carl. “Tecumseh’s Rebellion and the War of 1812.” Atlas of the North American Indians, revised edition. New York: File Facts, Inc., 2000. American History Online. Facts from File, Inc. Web. March 3. 2014. “War of 1812.” Britannica School. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2014. Web. March 5. 2014.