Final answer:
Madison declared war against England due to British violations of American rights and sovereignty, despite efforts to avoid conflict. Jefferson aimed to avoid war for the nation's safety and his agrarian vision. The burning of Washington D.C. was a wartime retaliation by the British. option a is answer
Step-by-step explanation:
Madison, along with pressures from the War Hawks in Congress, to declare war. Jefferson wanted to avoid military conflict due to potential risks and costs to the young nation, but also because it could threaten his visions of a republic based on agriculture and domestic development rather than on international military involvement.
When considering whether anything could have been done to avoid the War of 1812, it's crucial to understand that both Jefferson and Madison sought to negotiate and used measures like the Embargo Act to apply economic pressure instead of military action. However, these efforts did not compel the British to change their policies.
As for the burning of Washington D.C. by the British, it was a wartime action, and while such actions are devastating, the legitimacy of wartime actions often depends on perspective and justification; in this case, it was a retaliatory move in response to American attacks on York (modern-day Toronto). option a is answer