Final answer:
The British practice of impressment and other conflicts with the United States led to the War of 1812, a conflict spurned by national indignation and the failure of diplomatic measures like the Embargo Act of 1807.
Step-by-step explanation:
The British interference with U.S. affairs, including the impressment or kidnapping of around 6,000 sailors, led to the War of 1812. This conflict is often referred to as the Second War of American Independence. The impressment of American sailors, along with other grievances such as the British support of Native American resistance against U.S. expansion, anger over British attacks on American ships, and the restrictions placed on American trade, contributed to mounting tensions. Notably, the HMS Leopard's attack on the USS Chesapeake in 1807 further inflamed these tensions, leading President Thomas Jefferson to enact the Embargo Act of 1807, which halted American trade in an effort to compel Britain and France to respect American neutrality. However, the embargo undermined American commerce without achieving its diplomatic goals, leading to increased pressure for a military solution. The War Hawks, a group of young congressmen who advocated for war, helped to push Congress toward a declaration of war against Britain, which was finally realized in June 1812.