Final answer:
James Madison asked Congress to declare war on Britain due to impressment and trade interference, with support varying across U.S. regions. Despite attempts at a peaceful resolution, war was declared in 1812. The burning of Washington D.C. by the British was controversial but did not undermine the war's conclusion or American morale.
Step-by-step explanation:
President James Madison asked Congress to declare war on Britain primarily due to Britain's continued policy of impressment of American sailors and interference with American trade. Despite President Madison and his predecessor Thomas Jefferson's aversion to war, they were unable to resolve these issues diplomatically, leading to the outbreak of the War of 1812. Britain's practice of pressing American sailors into the Royal Navy and the restrictions on American trade during the Napoleonic Wars were seen as violations of American sovereignty and honor. Consequently, the War Hawks, including leaders like Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, fervently pushed for military action, and Madison, after exhausting all peaceful options, called for war.
Within the U.S., opinions regarding the war were mixed and often split along regional lines. In the Northeast, particularly in New England, the Federalists were generally opposed to the war due to their commercial ties with Britain. The South and the Western frontier regions, where the War Hawks held considerable influence, were more supportive of the war, seeing it as a way to defend American honor and potentially expand territory.
The burning of Washington D.C. during the war was a controversial act. While it was a strategic target for the British meant to demoralize the American war effort, many viewed it as an egregious act against a nation's capital. However, the act did not prevent American determination or the eventual conclusion of the war, which restored pre-war boundaries through the Treaty of Ghent and boosted American national pride.