The Republic in Peril: 1812

By Roger H. Brown

Book Overview

The increasingly bitter partisan struggle over domestic and foreign policy, exacerbated by the effects of the war between Great Britain and France, grew into a corrosive mutual distrust. Federalists doubted that the government could withstand the strains being placed upon it, and Republicans suspected Federalists of conspiring to institute another form of government.

Drawing on much new manuscript material, Professor Brown re-examines interpretations of the origins of the war that focus on sectional rivalries, the influence of warhawk congressmen, and the disruption of commerce. Analyzing the debate over the war question, he discusses the motives of the various individuals and groups, initial strategy and planning, and the role of the parties, the President, and Congress. He offers impressive new evidence that what spurred the Madison administration to declare war was the conviction that it must act decisively to halt the internal crumbling of confidence in the republican system, and to demonstrate to the nation and the world that the new republic would succeed.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039300578X
• ISBN13: 9780393005783
• Release Date: May 1971
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.0" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

The Republic in Peril: 1812

I'm a college student, and had a book review on the War of 1812 due in a few days. As like many students, I was too drunk to start the assignment when it was given out two weeks earlier. One of the points that makes this book so great is that it's compact, it's not wordy. It gets straight to the point, and offers a rather objective view at what brought around the War of 1812. It's not a difficult read. I suggest this book to anyone who has a report to do, and not too much time to do it in!