War of 1812 Economics United States Exports Political Financial Report Folio 1814

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Original 1814 United States Treasury Department financial record, an oversized official folio printing, detailing the "Statement of Exports" for the fiscal year—a primary source do cument of American commerce at its most desperate hour. This document is of historical significance as it provides the raw statistical evidence of the devastating "Economic War" waged alongside the military conflict of 1812. Dated 1814, this report captures the peak of the British Royal Navy’s "stranglehold" blockade of the American coastline, which saw U.S. exports plummet from over $100 million in previous years to a mere fraction of that amount. This specific printing documents the collapse of the American shipping industry in real-time, illustrating how the Embargo Acts and the presence of British men-of-war in the Chesapeake and off the New England coast effectively paralyzed the young nation's economy. These figures were the very data points used by President James Madison and his cabinet to justify the continuation of the war and to plan the post-war recovery that would eventually follow the Treaty of Ghent. The oversized folio format indicates this was a high-level government briefing document, likely intended for the House Committee on Commerce and Manufactures. For collectors of maritime history, the War of 1812, or early American economics, this printing is a significant artifact. It serves as a somber ledger of the period when the United States stood on the brink of financial ruin, documenting the resilience of a nation whose global trade had been almost entirely severed by the world's most powerful navy. Measures approximately 8 x 13.25 inches; 14 pages in total, printed on period laid rag paper with excellent ink retention. Good condition, with some toning and edge wear, features clean margins and typical historical folds Please see images Show more