The Economic Factor Of The War Of 1812

Abstract

After the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte realized the difficulty of achieving a military victory over Britain on land. He turned to the sea to blockade Britain, disrupt its commercial activity, and weaken its power.The British Navy was constantly subjected to a large number of American merchant ships. The Navy searched American ships under the pretext of searching for fugitives from conscription (impressments). The British Conscription Act was supposed to apply to British sailors, but the British did not differentiate between British fugitives and Americans. The number of Americans captured by the British Navy reached 6,000. They were forced to serve in the British Navy and were subjected to harsh treatment by the British. Through the Berlin Decrees, Napoleon closed off the European continent to Britain, preventing other countries from dealing with it, and imposing a blockade on the European continent against Britain and its trade. He also declared that all British subjects in countries allied with France were considered prisoners, and ordered the confiscation of British goods wherever they were found. Thus, Napoleon launched his economic war against Britain, closing European markets to British products to counter the naval blockade imposed by Britain. He required European countries to implement this policy. American ships and trade suffered significant damage through inspections and confiscation as a result of the continental blockade imposed by both France and Britain. The Berlin Decrees and the orders of the British Parliament made American neutrality impossible, as no ship could travel anywhere in Europe without violating French or British orders. This exposed them to confiscation and arrest by the British or French navy, which harmed American trade. It was considered a copy of the aforementioned Jay Treaty because Jefferson refused to approve this treaty and refused to submit it to the Senate. Because it neglected to discuss the issue of conscription.The year 1807 witnessed a period of prosperity in the United States, which was making strides toward restoring American shipping and export trade. However, the Embargo Act of 1807 halted this period of growth and prosperity. This law was an attempt to persuade Britain and France to refrain from seizing neutral American ships by prohibiting trade between the United States and other countries. The law remained in effect from December 1807 to March 1809.On January 9, 1808, the U.S. Congress passed a supplement to the Embargo Act of 1807, requiring coasters and fishing vessels to provide bonds for their shipments back to the United States. On March 12, 1808, the provisions of this law extended the bonds to all American vessels, both large and small. The American measures and embargoes had significant consequences for the American economy. First, a severe economic depression, which was believed to be punishing Britain, but in reality, it was helping it impose a blockade on all of Europe and monopolize world trade. The Republicans in Salem launched a major campaign against the mistreatment of ships and trade by pirates and foreign warships. They also believed that Britain could not survive without American trade. Over time, it became clear that the embargo had benefited Britain more than it had destroyed it.