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Audiobooks by Jefffrey Rogers Hummel
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The United States emerged from the American Revolution still entangled in old world politics. In particular, America faced all the trade restrictions of the British Navigation Acts. The result: in 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain, and proceeded to invade Canada, one of Britain’s possessions. But the invasion failed. In the war that ensued, British troops entered Washington, D.C. and burned the White House to the ground. The peace treaty of 1814 established the border between the United States and Canada – the longest mutually disarmed border in the world. Some historians have called the War of 1812 “America’s most unpopular war.” America – born from a commitment to liberty and equality – seemed to betray its heritage. The War of 1812 relied on conscription, a soaring tariff, and war taxes. Before the war, the national debt had been cut in half to $45 million; now it rose to $127 million. Moreover, the War of 1812 had an ominous impact; a single political party assumed almost unchallenged power. Other historians have observed that America fought Britain – the world’s foremost commercial and military power – to a negotiated settlement. This, they claim, meant that America had won the war.
On May 13, 1846, the United States Congress declared war upon Mexico. Although the Mexican-American War lasted only 18 month, its consequences were profound. Mexico lost nearly one-half its territory; the United States acquired most or all the future states of Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. During the Mexican-American War, the United States military made its first successful offensive on foreign soil, capturing Mexico City – the enemy capital. Some historians have described this offensive as America’s first step toward empire. More ominously, the Mexican-American War raised the explosive issue of whether slavery should be permitted in the newly acquired territories. Less than two decades later, this issue would help to speed America toward its greatest tragedy: The Civil War.
