Impact of the Napoleonic Wars 1802 - 1812

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Impact of the Napoleonic Wars 1802 - 1812

Economic Impact

The war Helped Econmic growth in some industries such as iron and textile trades as they equipped the armies of Britain and her allies.

USA closed its ports to Britain and France

War Finance

1797- Finance strained to breaking point. The government borrowed heavily and the Bank of England had to issue paper money instead of using gold to conserve its reserves.

1801- nations debt stood at £456 million - Pitt continued using the sinking fund which was a poor tactic at the time. Debt rose to £876 million in 1815.

Income Tax

Introduced by Pitt in 1799 to temporarily help finance the war.

Unpopular with M/C. Did not affect the poor.

Everyone who earned over £60 a year had to pay it. The richest paid 10% of their income

Bank Restriction Act 1797

Allowed banks to refuse to turn money and notes into gold in order to print money to finance the war.

French Wheat Shortages 1808 - 1810

During Harvest shortages, Napoleon sabotaged his own blockade by allowing French wheat to be imported into Britain.

Napoleon's Blockade - 1806

Britain retaliated with the Orders in council - 1807 ~ Orders in Council stated that anyone who seized or excluded a British ship would be subject to British blockade. Also imposed restrictions on any neutral ships trading with a blockaded country.- Boycott of French trade

Napoleon couldn't invade Britain by sea due to Lord Nelsons win at Trafalgar (1806) despite an attempt in 1804.Therefore though he could destroy Britain through economic warfare as he knewy she depended on imports of food & raw materials

He tried to prevent Britain's imports and exports. He wanted to starve Britain into surrender and so he forbid trade between Europe and Britain. He used the Berlin Decree of 1806- Blocked Britain's access to continental ports.

The Blockade affected France more than it did Britain, Britain could still trade with India, West Indies, China, South America and Australia.

Limitations to Berlin decrees blockade - British ships still found safe harbour in Spain & Portugal and trade continued.

Social Impact

Child labour increases.

In 1792, 75,000 troops were deployed. In the latter years there was 500,000.

Luddism - 1811

Unrest like Luddism suggests that discontent came from the changing means of livelihood and changing state at home, not the war.

Many gained job opportunities because of the War

Taxation was high.

Those with fixed wages and the poor suffered from high taxes.

Land produce and manufactured goods increased so the high tax wasn't too hard hitting.

Industry and Commercial activity was not repressed and actually grew.

Mackinnion, a Tory politician remarked that 'the mass of people did not suffer as severely as would seem probable.'

Peter Mathias: belived the living standards during war might have been lower than any other time since the beginning of the 18th century.

On a positive note: Britain was not invaded , trade and industry continued, some trades stimulated by war, high rates of employment, Landowners and farmers benefitted from high prices and rent.

Political Impact

Neither Addington, Pitt, Grenville, Portland or Perceval managed to end the war.

Levee en Masse Act - July 1803 ~ Listed all men between 17 and 55 to be trained and armed to fight.

An estimated 800,000 men were under arms.

Pitt replaced by Addington in 1801, but came back in 1804. He died in 1806 due to ill health.

After Pitt's death, Grenville's Government was introduced. They fell apart due to the issue of Catholic Emancipation.

Treaty of Amiens - 1802 ~ Halted war for 1 year.