The War of 1812: A History From Beginning to End

by Hourly History

The voices of war that Tecumseh, Prévost, and many others heard were the voices of the War Hawks in the United States Congress. The War Hawks originated out of the Jeffersonian Democratic-Republican Party. Jefferson dreamed of an agrarian nation of independent landowners. He disliked the growth of cities, industry, and trade, which he associated with corruption and inequality. The Democratic-Republicans were also anti-Federalist because the Federalists were interested in developing exactly the opposite trends: banking, trade, industry, and economic growth. Alexander Hamilton, until his death in 1804, had been the leader of the Federalists. Under presidents Jefferson, Madison, and afterward, Monroe, for 24 years, the Democratic-Republicans dominated the executive branch of government and often all of Congress as well. Their agrarian policies fueled westward expansion.