Keywords: Economics Trade Merchant shipping
Item 20176
St. Leon merchant ship, Castine, 1835
Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: 1835 Location: Castine Media: Photographic print
Item 100301
Letter from J.W. Jones to Robert Tate, West Indies, 1803
Contributed by: Tate House Museum Date: 1803-03-09 Location: Portland Media: Ink on paper
Exhibit
The Life and Legacy of the George Tate Family
Captain George Tate, mast agent for the King of England from 1751 to the Revolutionary War, and his descendants helped shape the development of Portland (first known as Falmouth) through activities such as commerce, shipping, and real estate.
Exhibit
Britain was especially interested in occupying Maine during the Colonial era to take advantage of the timber resources. The tall, straight, old growth white pines were perfect for ships' masts to help supply the growing Royal Navy.
Site Page
Bath's Historic Downtown - Merchants' Row
"Merchants are usually operators of stores. Merchants' Row is located at 108, 114, and 116 Front Street, the home of many retail stores, built at a…"
Site Page
"Examples of products would be food, ingredients, and medicine. They shipped potash which is found in chimneys, and it was made into gun powder."
Story
Maine and the Atlantic World Slave Economy
by Seth Goldstein
How Maine's historic industries are tied to slavery
Lesson Plan
Primary Sources: The Maine Shipyard
Grade Level: 9-12
Content Area: Social Studies
This lesson plan will give students a close-up look at historical operations behind Maine's famed shipbuilding and shipping industries. Students will examine primary sources including letters, bills of lading, images, and objects, and draw informed hypotheses about the evolution of the seafaring industry and its impact on Maine’s communities over time.
Lesson Plan
Becoming Maine: The District of Maine's Coastal Economy
Grade Level: 3-5
Content Area: Social Studies
This lesson plan will introduce students to the maritime economy of Maine prior to statehood and to the Coasting Law that impacted the separation debate. Students will examine primary documents, take part in an activity that will put the Coasting Law in the context of late 18th century – early 19th century New England, and learn about how the Embargo Act of 1807 affected Maine in the decades leading to statehood.
