The Panic of 1819: Reactions and Policies is a 1962 book by the economist Murray Rothbard, in which the author discusses what he calls the first great economic crisis of the United States.

The book is based on his doctoral dissertation in economics at Columbia University during the mid-1950s.

[1] During the 19th century some observers believed that the panic originated within the economic system itself, since the event could not be readily attributed to any specific event, as had some previous crises.

Rothbard, however, states that the Panic of 1819 arose from developments related to the War of 1812 and the postwar prosperity that followed.

The outbreak of war stifled foreign trade and spurred the growth of domestic manufacturing, which grew to fill the demand previously met by imports.