Ep. 66: The Political Economics of Puritan New England, Pt. 2: Codfish, Spanish Wool, and Early Triangular Trade

They say necessity is the key to invention. The English colonies had needs. They were very resourceful. As we develop the Puritan economy, we want to begin by asking some basic questions. How would you build an economy from scratch? What would you do if you had limited access to hard currency but needed commodities? Is it enough to say you would use what you had? Puritan New England enjoyed a consistent influx of currency while the population exploded in the 1630s. But those resources were not enough to grow an economy, let alone sustain it. And, eventually, they slowed to a trickle. In this episode, we will talk about the emergence of Triangular Trade. A system that not only saved the New England Colonies, but helped to build them into one of the most powerful, dynamic economies of their day. The demands for codfish and wool across the Atlantic may have been just a stop gap, but it launched a shipping empire. Audio Production by Podsworth Media.

History Comes Alive! with Jeff Nichols