War Of 1812 American Industrialization Causes

The postwar expansion that followed the War of 1812 came about in part because American manufacturing was able to grow through reduced competition and increased demand. This was because Europe was, at that time, engaged in its own struggle with Napoleon seeking to unify the continent while his enemies sought to prevent him. This had the effect of forcing European manufacturers to focus on wartime goods and so the market for other manufacturing was left open for the Americans to fill. This was made easier once peace was made with Britain since American ships could now sail unmolested by the world’s largest navy and therefore their goods could reach the global markets whose demand continued regardless of the conditions in Europe. Since good market conditions in themselves aren’t enough,
By 1819, with Napoleon’s war wrapping up, European manufacturers were returning to normal economic conditions and so the American economy experienced a depression as it faced competition with European producers who could not only outproduce, but could also provide goods at a discount. Net imports, which had been on the rise following the war of 1812, saw a dramatic reduction as increased global competition forced new market conditions. Despite the panic of 1819, American nationalism remained high as the American civilization had proven capable of fending off what was at that time the most powerful empire in the world. Additionally the western expansion into the lands claimed in the Lousiana purchase and the successful management of the „indian problem” gave the American people a sense of religiously-inspired destiny, which would continue as the United States continued its expansion and encroachment into the territories of other European