The China Trade (event video)

Prof. Dane Morrison speaks about the China Trade, with a focus on the travels of the Forbes family, from Jamaica Plain to China. Morrison describes how Americans forged a national identity after the War of Independence. After breaking free from British rule, American identity had more to do with sailing to the East than trekking into the West. Private journals, letters, ships’ logs, memoirs, and newspaper accounts help trace America’s earliest encounters on a global stage.

This event was originally scheduled for April 2020 but had to be postponed due to the COVID 19 lockdown. It was inspired by a JPHS member who remarked on the streets in JP that had to do with China Trade families (Perkins, Forbes). The event was held on March 21, 2021 at 2:00 p.m via Zoom. Click on the triangle below to watch the presentation.