Today in class, we had a snap debate over which event caused the start of the War of 1812: impressment, the Chesapeake Affair, the Orders of Council, or incitement. At the beginning of the debate, I believed that the Chesapeake Affair was the main cause and still agreed with that decision even after the debate. The Chesapeake Affair was when the British navy forcefully boarded an American ship to take back seamen who had been impressed. This event was not only disrespectful towards American citizens, but was also a violent act against the United States in a time of peace. This event caused the United States to begin fighting back against England, whereas they were able to bear all of the previous issues. The War of 1812 was caused by the Chesapeake Affair, rather than the minor conflicts occurring in the United States and globally.
I enjoyed doing the snap debate today. I liked that we could compare the thoughts of other students with primary and secondary resources within our discussion groups. The snap debate allowed me to come to an educated decision on my own, helping me to truly learn about the causes of the War of 1812.
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