New Jersey and the War of 1812

In the years previous to 1812, the British repeatedly seized American seamen on merchant vessels and impressed them to serve in the British Navy or merchant marines. British warships hovered off the American coast, especially off New York Harbor near Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Various incidents occurred antagonizing the American public who perceived the British violations of American rights as a violation of American sovereignty, American national honor, and evidence of British reluctance to accept American independence. This lack of respect for American neutral rights as well as the impressment of American seamen led to the first American declaration of war. This war was known simply as the War of 1812. Join us as Harvey Strum discusses the political impact of that war and how it affected New Jersey as his primary topic for this presentation.