Merchants of Independence : international trade on the Santa Fe Trail, 1827/1860 / William Patrick O'Brien.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

O'Brien, William Patrick, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Merchants--Missouri--Independence--History--19th century.

Merchants.

Independence (Mo.)--Commerce--History--19th century.

Independence (Mo.).

Santa Fe National Historic Trail--Commerce--History--19th century.

Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

Mexico--Commerce--History--19th century.

Mexico.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (226 p.)

Place of Publication:

Kirksville, Missouri : Truman State University Press, 2014.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In the frontier town of Independence, Missouri, a commercial route for goods to and from Europe developed into a sophisticated international network of overland trade with Mexico. To trade goods, western Missouri entrepreneurs relied on the cooperative support and interactions of Anglos, Hispanos, Native Americans, Jews, Irish, free blacks, slaves, and women in order to succeed. Here William Patrick O'Brien examines the complexity of U.S. and Mexican trade alliances from 1827 to 1860 and how traders built consensus between individuals and various governmental and economic systems. The groups used in this study have been selected to underscore the town¿s diverse and polyglot nature and to dispel the notion of any homogeneous base. Cultural convergence, cooperation, conflict, and their consequences all played a part to make this strategic locale on the Missouri River a challenging and premier American center for trade on the Santa Fe Trail.

Contents:

""Book Cover""; ""Title Page""; ""Copyright""; ""Contents""; ""Illustrations""; ""Acknowledgments""; ""introduction: Independence & International Trade""; ""Ch1: Western Missouri""; ""Ch2: The Town of Independence""; ""Ch3: The Trade""; ""Ch4: contracts & Conflict""; ""Ch5: The Trade & Its People""; ""Ch6: McCoy, Waldo, and Smith""; ""Conclusion: Independence's Place in the World""; ""Appendix 1""; ""Appendix 2""; ""Appendix 3""; ""Works Cited""; ""About the Author""; ""Index""; ""Back Cover""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-61248-091-8