“I am ready to allow, Mr. President, that both Great Britain and France have
given us abundant cause for war . . . . My plan would be, and my first wish
is, to prepare for it—to put the country in complete armor—in the attitude
imperiously demanded in a crisis of war, and to which it must be brought
before any war can be effective . . . . I must call on every member of this
Senate to pause before he leaps into or crosses the Rubicon [Roman leader
Julius Caesar touched off a war in 49 BCE when he and his troops crossed
the Rubicon River]—declaring war is passing the Rubicon in reality.”
Senator Obadiah German of New York, speech in the Senate, June 1812
1. Support for the War of 1812 was the strongest among
(A) frontier settlers who wanted more land from American Indians
(B) New England merchants who feared impressment
(C) Protestants who had religious sympathies with Great Britain
(D) the Democratic-Republicans who most emphasized states’ rights
2. Who would be most likely to agree with German’s Rubicon reference?
(A) John Calhoun and other politicians from the South
(B) Henry Clay and other politicians from the West
(C) Officials from the executive branch
(D) Merchants from New England
3. Which of the following is the best support for German’s claim that the
United States had “abundant cause for war”?
(A) The impressment of U.S. sailors
(B) The controversy over the Louisiana Purchase
(C) The actions by the Barbary pirates
(D) The findings of the Lewis and Clark expedition
1. Support for the War of 1812 was strongest among groups that were directly affected by British policies and actions leading up to the war. These included the interference with American trade and the impressment of American sailors into the British Navy, as well as British support of Native American resistance against American expansion.
(A) **Frontier settlers who wanted more land from American Indians** - Frontier settlers were among those most in favor of the War of 1812 because they were directly affected by British support of Native American resistance, and they desired more land for settlement.
(B) New England merchants who feared impressment - New England merchants were generally opposed to the War of 1812 because trade restrictions and war disrupted their business and commerce.
(C) Protestants who had religious sympathies with Great Britain - This group is not noted as a major support base for the war; religious sympathies with Britain do not correlate strongly with the desire for war.
(D) the Democratic-Republicans who most emphasized states’ rights - Democratic-Republicans, especially the "War Hawks," supported the war, but not necessarily those who emphasized states' rights. The Democratic-Republicans supported the war more because of issues with British trade restrictions and impressment rather than for concerns over states’ rights.
**Answer:** (A) Frontier settlers who wanted more land from American Indians
2. The Rubicon reference implies a point of no return, a decisive and irrevocable step. Senator Obadiah German uses it to caution against the hastiness of declaring war, suggesting that it should be a last resort after preparation and deliberation.
(A) John Calhoun and other politicians from the South - While John Calhoun and Southern politicians had a vested interest in issues leading to the War of 1812, the Rubicon reference is about caution before entering war, not necessarily a regional stance.
(B) Henry Clay and other politicians from the West - Henry Clay and other Western politicians, as part of the "War Hawks," were eager to confront Britain and may not have used a cautionary reference like the Rubicon.
(C) Officials from the executive branch - The executive branch, under President James Madison, ultimately did agree to the declaration of war, but this doesn't necessarily correlate with the caution German is emphasizing with the Rubicon reference.
(D) Merchants from New England - Merchants from New England were generally opposed to the War of 1812 because it negatively impacted their trade with Britain. Such a group would be likely to agree with the caution advised by Senator German.
**Answer:** (D) Merchants from New England
3. The best support for German's claim that the United States had “abundant cause for war” refer to the issues that were directly causing tension between Great Britain and the United States before the War of 1812.
(A) **The impressment of U.S. sailors** - The practice of the impressment of American sailors into the British Navy was one of the primary grievances that led to the War of 1812. This violation of American sovereignty and the autonomy of its citizens was a direct cause of conflict.
(B) The controversy over the Louisiana Purchase - The Louisiana Purchase was more of a domestic issue and not a direct cause of the War of 1812 with Britain.
(C) The actions by the Barbary pirates - The conflict with the Barbary pirates occurred mostly before the War of 1812 and involved different geopolitical issues and nations, not Great Britain.
(D) The findings of the Lewis and Clark expedition - The findings of this expedition pertained more to the exploration and potential for expansion within the continent, not to reasons for going to war with Britain.
**Answer**: (A) The impressment of U.S. sailors