chapter 3 Local Spaces
The previous section analyzed the merchants’ global relations, which con- nected New York to the world market. They were managers of flows of com- modities, information, and capital across oceans and geographic regions. They were, however, also very involved with their local environment, influencing it in several ways. The following chapters examine how they contributed to the development of land and city space, their impact on finance, industry, and community leadership as well as the promotion of consumerism.
New York City after Independence
After the United States gained independence, New York was a small town, en- compassing about four square miles and hosting a population of 12,000 people. The war had shaken the city politically and economically and its remaining population was confronted by a variety of new tasks and obstacles. The trans- formation of the colonial institutions into an independent government was one of the main challenges the city had to face in the coming years. Quarrels between radical and moderate Whigs still dominated large parts of the politi- cal discussion after 1784. Traders and artisans were especially disappointed with the leadership of Governor George Clinton and his congress, which was formed by radical Whigs shortly after independence. New import laws and tax- es hindered the city’s commerce. The British overloaded the city with cheap products, bringing in twice as much tonnage as all other countries combined and exhausting local markets, which antagonized New York’s merchants and artisans, who saw it as a downturn in their revolutionary gains.1 However, un- der Alexander Hamilton’s lead, moderate Whigs soon gained more influence. Hamilton and his supporters were convinced that the attacks by radicals on loyalists and their property hindered the city’s ability to build a ‘climate of confidence,’ which they believed was essential for international business.2 Hamilton argued that a commercial elite was necessary for the growth of a prosperous commercial society. In the 1785 state assembly elections, the city’s
1 E.G. Burrows and M. Wallace, Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1999, p. 279. 2 Burrows and Wallace, Gotham, p. 279.
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3 Burrows and Wallace, Gotham, p. 279. 4 Burrows and Wallace, Gotham, pp. 292–293. 5 Murphy and Mannion, Friendly Sons, p. 104. 6 Burrows and Wallace, Gotham, p. 293. 7 Burrows and Wallace, Gotham, p. 293. 8 Murphy and Mannion, Friendly Sons, p. 104. 9 Burrows and Wallace, Gotham, p. 293.