Consequences Of The War Of 1812 Essay

, Research Paper

Consequences of the War of 1812

The War of 1812 brought forth numerous consequences toward the United States and the rest of the world. Most of the consequences fall under political and economical categories. The United States was claimed the victor of the war, a war that opened up new doors for it to prosper and progress. When the war ended, much turmoil had taken place, though not all necessary, that created a new sense of independence throughout the

United States.

One of the first consequences of the War of 1812 was the changing of the American militia system. The army had proved to be insignificant in various battles during the war, such as the failure of the U.S. in defeating Canada near the beginning of the war. Though

some thought that the militia was doing just fine, others new that something had to be done to strengthen it. An army general staff and a board of navy commissioners were formed, so that the army did not have to only rely on a Secretary. The system was also reformed in it’s accountability of the army and the navy to further strengthen it. Scientific engineering also played a big role in creating a larger and more substantial army. A new system of fortifications was established that doubled the size of the then small American

army. Though these were consequences of the War of 1812, the major ones deal with political and economical issues.

The political consequences turned out to be extremely significant in the further development of the United States. The war led to the end of the Federalist party due to their opposition to the war and created a one party system of Republicans by 1816. The Jeffersonians saw this as being an advantage, but in the end it brought forth the internal weaknesses of the Jeffersonian system. A war, the Jeffersonians believed, would create a

strong army and navy, a bureaucracy, high taxes, manufacturing and industrial cities, all issues that they wanted to avoid. The old Jeffersonians hated war in all aspects, but the new generation of republicans began to realize its benefits. even Thomas Jefferson himself came to realize that a equal balance in agriculture, manufacturers and commerce could turn out to be beneficial. The postwar Republicans, even with the division in ideas now, still passed many of the same types of laws including a second national bank, high tariffs of the war period and allowing for certain internal improvements. Henry Clay, a republican in Congress, helped create The American System. This was aimed at making the nation economically self-sufficient and free from dependency on Europe. All of these new laws and ideas was an indication of nationalism, something that was greatly needed for the U.S. to prosper any further. America entered the war divided, but it emerged as one nation. All of these political consequences had a larger effect than anything else on the United States.

With the Republicans adopting issues that they once scorned, an Era of Goodfeelings dawned on the American government. This phrase reflected the war s elimination of some diverse issues, but it also applied to President James Monroe, the president of the U.S. at this time, and his efforts to avoid political controversies. The feelings were mostly negative because the Republicans were still divided in creation issues.

Canadian nationalism and patriotic feelings were very strong after the War of 1812. The British caused the Canadians to acquire very little after the war. The Canadians, however, became more united because they figured that the United States would try to invade them again. They wanted to be fully prepared for such an event. Canada did, however, later help America advance economically.

There were also numerous economical consequences that were from the result of the War of 1812. The military blockade that was effective during the war was soon lifted when the war ended. The United States was now able to ship to Europe and other places in a somewhat peace again. Rice, cotton, tobacco, and grain were rushed to Europe from the U.S. Europe was now becoming dependent on the U.S. instead of the U.S. being dependent on Europe. There were other reasons for the growth of manufacturers at this time in history. First of all were the new scientific advancements such as the spinning jenny, the steam engine, and the concept of the assembly line and interchangeable parts that further aided in easier and faster ways to manufacture products. Second, the increase in demand and as well as the prices of U.S. products came about because of the decrease in imports and the increase in exports. Lastly, most of the money from the sales of the products went to New England where it was used wisely to create a stable economy. All of these economic factors led an economic boom after the War of 1812.

Because the War of 1812 had such a huge effect on the United States it is sometimes referred to as the Second War for Independence . This was not referring to Great Britain trying to control the U.S., but instead it marked the end of the U.S. dependence on Europe. Britain soon acknowledged the independence of America, which marked a turning point in all of history. The United States was now thriving in industry and manufacturing. It formed new social institutions and was rapidly increasing in population. The U.S. was now finally becoming a truly unified country. From now on the United States was able to choose war or peace according to its own interests.