Why the British navy set up blockades in the war of 1812

These slow and heavily armed ships would form the core of a battle line and exchange fire with their similarly sized adversaries. The largest naval vessels were the ships of the line and often classified by the British rating system: first-rate, second-rate, and third-rate. It is important to understand the different types of warship that plied the waves during this period, which applies to both the American Revolution and War of 1812. Because of a ship’s dependence on the wind for propulsion, combat often resembled a deadly dance between combatants, which could disintegrate into a bloody close-range brawl. Sailing ships were virtually floating villages, with the largest ships of the line armed with more artillery than some armies. Naval combat in the Age of Sail, which lasted from the 16th to mid-19th century, may seem strange to the modern eye.

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Why the British navy set up blockades in the war of 1812