Although the War of 1812 damaged the nation’s economy, it also played a crucial role in the progress of the United States. This period indicated the beginning of the market-based economy, as a vast amount of goods could be imported overseas (Shi, 319). Individuals and companies began to expand their production volumes by any means possible, which created an influx of innovative technologies for manufacturing. This source of wealth promoted cooperation and entrepreneurship and solidified the nation’s direction toward commerce (Shi, 321). Creativity and hard work were rewarded significantly and increased the standards of living.
One of the new technologies from the early nineteenth century overshadowed the world’s produce at such a scale that it was responsible for growing town populations at a tremendous pace. Cotton was valuable and required manual labor, yet the machine created by an American inventor increased the productivity of this industry by fifty times and transformed international trade (Shi, 331). Since the barriers to trade were lifted, American merchants sold their products abroad. Shi and Mayer (2019) share insight into this boom by Hezekiah Miles, who wrote that “one person, assisted by machinery, is equal to from 100 to 200 without it” (p. 198). In conclusion, after the War of 1812, the United States used its opportunity to increase its trade volume, which pushed local manufacturers to aim for larger markets. Starting with the transformation of production lines on the continent, the country expanded its market reach with goods crafted with new technologies.
References
Shi, D. E. (2018). America: A narrative history (11th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Shi, D. E., & Mayer, H. A. (2019). For the record: A documentary history (7th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.