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The Daily Insight Hub

How was the issue of national debt solved?

Author

Rachel Davis

Updated on February 02, 2026

The only way to reduce the debt is to either raise taxes or cut spending. Either of those can slow economic growth. They are two of the tools of contractionary fiscal policy.

How was the Revolutionary War debt resolved?

When the war ended, the United States had spent $37 million at the national level and $114 million at the state level. The United States finally solved its debt problems in the 1790s when Alexander Hamilton founded the First Bank of the United States in order to pay off war debts and establish good national credit.

How did American solve the debt after war?

Paying off these and other debts incurred during the Revolution proved one of the major challenges of the post-independence period. In order to pay for its significant expenditures during the Revolution, Congress had two options: print more money or obtain loans to meet the budget deficit.

Can national debt be written off?

Most creditors are able to consider writing off their debt when they are convinced that your situation means that pursuing the debt is unlikely to be successful, especially if the amount is small.

When was America’s last debt free?

1835
However, President Andrew Jackson shrank that debt to zero in 1835. It was the only time in U.S. history when the country was free of debt.

How did the US government reduce the national debt?

Rather than raise taxes, governments often issue debt in the form of bonds to raise money. During times of financial malaise, governments can buy back the very bonds that were issued, which was the policy called Quantitative Easing in the U.S. after the 2007-2008 financial crisis. 1 

How did the international debt crisis come about?

The international debt crisis became apparent in 1982 when Mexico announced it could not pay its foreign debt, sending shock waves throughout the international financial community as creditors feared that other countries would do the same.

When was the last time the US was in a debt crisis?

The time before that was in 1946, when the nation had to pay for World War II. To arrive at a country’s debt-to-GDP ratio, compare the national debt by year to its GDP or the size of the economy. That should tell you a country’s ability to meet its obligations, by how much it has produced or earned.

How did the Greek debt crisis get resolved?

The Greek government having been reassured of IMF support commenced negotiations with its creditors. A market-based debt exchange, in which investors were offered a menu of bonds with a present value of 50 cents on the euro, was completed by the end of the year.