The Federal Deficit

The Federal Deficit

Debt has been a part of this nation’s operations since it was founded. The U.S. government first found itself in debt in 1790, following the Revolutionary War. Since then, the debt has been fueled over the centuries by wars, economic recession and inflation. In modern times, the government has struggled to spend less than it takes in for over 60 years, making balanced budgets nearly impossible. This graphic tracks its changes over time since 1980 to the present.