Final answer:
During the War of 1812, the Native Americans allied with the British to protect their territories but faced a significant defeat. The Federalists in New England opposed the war due to economic concerns and the Hartford Convention discredited and led to their political decline. Both groups' perspectives and ambitions were influenced by the war's outcomes and the Treaty of Ghent.
Step-by-step explanation:
Perspectives of Groups Involved in the War of 1812
The War of 1812, often termed the Second War of American Independence, was shaped by the perspectives of multiple groups, with diverging interests and motivations. One of the key groups were the Native Americans, particularly those in the Western Confederacy led by Tecumseh. They aligned with the British in Canada to resist U.S. expansion into the Great Lakes region, seeking to protect their lands and way of life. However, their cause suffered a devastating blow with the death of Tecumseh and the loss of contested land in the Northwest, dramatically affecting their ability to resist future American expansion.
Another pivotal group was the Federalists in New England, who strongly opposed the war due to its impact on maritime trade, which was crucial for the region's economy. Their opposition materialized in the Hartford Convention where some Federalists even contemplated secession due to the hardships caused by the war. However, the timing of the convention—coinciding with the end of the war and the American victory at the Battle of New Orleans—ultimately discredited the Federalist Party, leading to its demise.
While the Native Americans fought to maintain their sovereignty and the Federalists sought to protect regional economic interests, both witnessed a turn of events that was contrary to their aims and hopes. This war, whose official end came with the Treaty of Ghent, returned territories to their pre-war owners and reinforced American independence, which hampered both groups' ambitions.