You're listening to an AirWave Media Podcast.

Ben Franklin's World is a production of the Omaha-Handro Institute, and is sponsored by

the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Hello, and welcome to episode 337 of Ben Franklin's World.

The podcast dedicated to helping you learn more about how the people and events of our

early American past have shaped the present-day world we live in.

And I'm your host, Liz Covard.

What made trade with China so important to the new United States?

Not long after the United States secured its independence from Great Britain, a group of American

merchants sent American flag ships to trade with China and other parts of Southeast Asia.

With all of the work that Americans had to do to build a new nation, what made trade with

China so important that it was one of the first things Americans set out to do after independence.

Dale Norwood, an assistant professor of history at the University of Delaware, joins us to

explore the lure of trade with China with details from his book Trading Freedom, How Trade

with China Defined Early America.

Now as we explore early America's trade with China, Dale refills.

China's place in the world during the early modern era.

Why Europeans and later Americans wanted to trade with China.

And details about why Americans set out to establish a trade with China right after they

secured the United States's independence from Great Britain.

But first, I wanted to let you know that we have some really great episodes for you coming

this fall.

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