<P> Historian Norman Risjord has emphasized the central importance of honour as a cause the war . Americans of every political stripe saw the need to uphold national honor, and to reject the treatment of the United States by Britain as a third class nonentity . Americans talked incessantly about the need for force in response . This quest for honor was a major cause of the war in the sense that most Americans who were not involved in mercantile interests or threatened by Indian attack strongly endorsed the preservation of national honor . The humiliating attack by the HMS Leopard against the USS Chesapeake in June 1807 was a decisive event . Many Americans called for war, but Jefferson held back, insisting that economic warfare would prove more successful . Jefferson initiated economic warfare, especially in the form of embargoing or refusing to sell products to Britain . It proved a failure, that did not deter the British but it seriously damaged American industry had alienated the mercantile cities of the Northeast that were so seriously hurt . Historians have demonstrated the motive power of honor in shaping public opinion in a number of states, including Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia, as well as the territory of Michigan . On June 3, 1812, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by fire - eater John C. Calhoun called for a declaration of war in ringing phrases, denouncing Britain's "lust for power," "unbounded tyranny," and "mad ambition ." James Roark says, "These were fighting words in a war that was in large measure about insult and honor ." Calhoun reaped much of the credit . </P> <P> In terms of honour, the conclusion of the war, especially the spectacular defeat of the main British invasion army at New Orleans, did restore the American sense of honor . Historian Lance Banning says: </P> <Dl> <Dd> National honour, the reputation of republican government, and the continuing supremacy of the Republican party had seemed to be at stake...National honour had (now) been satisfied...Americans celebrated the end of the struggle with a brilliant burst of national pride . They felt that they had fought a second war for independence, and had won . If little had been gained, nothing had been lost in a contest the greatest imperial power on the earth . </Dd> </Dl> <Dd> National honour, the reputation of republican government, and the continuing supremacy of the Republican party had seemed to be at stake...National honour had (now) been satisfied...Americans celebrated the end of the struggle with a brilliant burst of national pride . They felt that they had fought a second war for independence, and had won . If little had been gained, nothing had been lost in a contest the greatest imperial power on the earth . </Dd>

What were the caused of the war of 1812