The structure of the Philadelphia trading community on the transition from colony to state

Sheryllynne Haggerty

Business History, 2006, vol. 48, issue 2, 171-192

Abstract: In 1785 the first Philadelphia trade directory was published; a reflection of the pride and confidence of the city's people on Independence. This article uses the directory to detail a far wider trading community than simply elite (male) merchants. By comparing the Philadelphia trading community with its British counterpart, Liverpool, it is argued that in 1785 Philadelphia still had the economy of a colonial port. Importantly, because of this, its distribution process operated very differently from that of Liverpool. However, further analysis in 1791 and 1805 highlights signs of diversity with important ramifications for the ability of lesser traders, both men and women, to contribute to the economy.

Keywords: Economy; Philadelphia; Liverpool; Atlantic; Merchants; Traders; Ports; Women (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006
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DOI: 10.1080/00076790600576743

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