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The US economy overtook the UK's right around the civil war. That's also around when the US population overtook the UK's. They may have not thought much about

The US economy overtook the UK's right around the civil war. That's also around when the US population overtook the UK's. They may have not thought much about the war, but it wouldn't be because the US had a small economy or population.

kensai 4y ago
Really? I thought that happened way after WWI. The UK economy back then had a gazillion of colonies to sustain it.
- sillyquiet 4y ago
  No OP's correct, the US surpassed the UK both in population and in GDP sometime around the middle of the 19th century.
  - ghaff 4y ago
    I think the point is that looking at the UK in a vacuum, outside the context of colonies like India, Kenya, Singapore, etc., is probably misleading.
  - fmajid 4y ago
    The US overtook the UK in 1860, but overtaking the entire British Empire was closer to 1900.
sillyquiet 4y ago
Right right, you are absolutely correct, but I meant that the U.S. was inconsequential to Europe militarily.
digisign 4y ago
Would have taken quite a while to be noticed, given the speed of communication and lack of American military presence overseas. Compared to the British Empire.