Most place the cause of the War of 1812 on the British seizure of ships and imprisonment of American sailors. However, there is good reason to see the cause as coming from the American West. The Major war hawk faction in Congress were actually westerners, like Kentuckian Henry Clay. They were more concerned with the British still occupying forts in western lands and their influence over the Indians. Many also hoped to capture Canada. So, the capture of American sailors may be more visible, but it was issues in the West that more directly led to war.
Historically Speaking 