Final answer:
The War Hawks, led by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, were driven by fears of British encroachments on American sovereignty and honor, as well as beliefs in the need to defend these principles and to expand American territory. Their efforts culminated in the U.S. declaring war on Britain in 1812.
Step-by-step explanation:
The War Hawks were a group of young congressmen who held strong nationalistic beliefs and felt that British actions were an affront to American sovereignty and honor. The primary fears motivating the War Hawks included the seizure of American ships and sailors, the British support of Native American resistance against American expansion, and the overall British disrespect for American neutrality and maritime rights. Their beliefs were driven by a desire to defend national honor, assert American rights, and possibly to annex land, particularly in Canada and Florida where British influence was seen as a barrier to American interests.
Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun led the War Hawks, and their strong convictions contributed to America's decision to declare war against Britain in June 1812, leading to the War of 1812. Federalists, especially in the Northeast, opposed the war fearing disruptions to maritime trade, but the War Hawks' determination to assert American power and territorial expansion ultimately prevailed in Congress.