Final answer:
The United States declared war on Great Britain in 1812 due to unresolved issues, mainly the British practice of impressment of American sailors and their support for Native American resistance against U.S. Westward expansion. The growing tensions and the inability to maintain neutrality led to the call for war by influential leaders, namely the war hawks.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most persuasive explanation for the United States's decision to declare war on Great Britain in 1812, often termed as the Second War of Independence, lies in a series of unresolved issues. Chief among these was the practice of impressment by the British, where American sailors were forcibly taken at sea to serve on British warships. Furthermore, British Canada’s support for Native Americans fighting against U.S expansion in the Great Lakes region exacerbated the situation.
Amid these growing tensions, the U.S found it challenging to stay neutral, prompting war hawks like Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun to call for war in retaliation to the British insults to American honor. Therefore, in a narrowly divided Congress vote, the president was authorized to declare war against Britain in June 1812.
This war played a crucial role in fortifying the American identity and reinforcing its separation from Britain, paving the way for further expansion into the West.
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