The Treaty of Ghent Question Since the Treaty

The Treaty of Ghent

Question "Since the Treaty of Ghent addressed none of the issues for which the United States had fought, the War of 1812 had no positive consequences for the American nation. ”. Assess the validity of this statement.

Thesis Statement Although the Treaty of Ghent did not address any of the issues for which the US had fought, such as maritime rights, the War of 1812 still had positive consequences for the United States, such as growth of American nationalism, increase in Western migration, encouragement of American industries, disappearance of the Federalist party and strengthening of isolation.

One of the biggest factors of the growth of American Nationalism was because America won battles against England. Americans rejoiced in their naval victories against great Royal Navy of England. The Triumph at New Orleans against the British promoted nationalism, even though the only reason America won was because Andrew Jackson didn't know the Treaty of Ghent had been signed. The Star Spangled Banner, Growth of American Nationalism

Increase in Western Migration Because New Englanders lost their jobs in the shipping industry, they moved west. This led to a series of battles in the West that decimated the "hostile" Indian population in order to create a safe environment in which the Americans could settle.

Encouragement of the American Industry The War of 1812 cut off imports from England, so domestic manufacturing increased a great amount in New England. The War of 1812 also made shipbuilding and foreign commerce unprofitable, so businessmen invested in internal establishments, especially the New England textile mills

Disappearance of the Federalist Party The Federalists, who held power in New England, disapproved of the war. In 1814, Hartford Convention took place. At the Hartford Convention, Federalists advocated states rights, a 2/3 vote of Congress to admit states or declare war, and hinted at secession. However, almost right after the Hartford Convention, the nation learned about the Treaty of Ghent and Jackson's victory. The Federalists were accused of treason, and the party disbanded was disbanded, which led to the Era of Good Feelings.

Strength of Isolation Because trade was cut off with England, America invested in its own businesses rather than the ones of foreign nations. This, coupled with the Era of Good Feelings, led to America coming closer together internally. Since America had internal unity, the rest of the world viewed it as more than just colonies of England who rebelled. They were finally seen as a world power.

Conclusion In conclusion, the War of 1812 had positive consequences for the United States, such as growth of American nationalism, increase in Western migration, encouragement of American industries, disappearance of the Federalist party and strengthening of isolation, even if the Treaty of Ghent did not address any of the issues, such as maritime rights, for which the US had fought.