While both the United States and Europe experienced political and social unrest in the nineteenth century, Europe remained more stable because of its strong foundation, the unity of its people, and the execution of their goals. Since it existed as a civilization earlier than America, Europe's people had more experience in a post-war rebuilding period and thus had a more established reputation as a world power. Also, the government was eventually able to adapt to the industrialized society, because the masses united and fought for a specified cause. Their ability to organize movements and work as a whole, rather than forming civil conflict, allowed Europeans to overcome periods of disorder and maintain a functional, democratic society.

The decisions that America and Europe made following the War of 1812 illustrate the initial split in ideas that separated the two societies until the mid 1850s. America's post-war expansionism and newfound concept...