So by the beginnings of the 1800’s, the United States was starting to solidify itself as an actual nation, and beginning to spread westward.  But it was also beginning to spread eastward, in a way, because as an independent nation, it was developing a healthy trans-Atlantic trade network with the countries of western Europe and in the Mediterranean as well.  

This meant of course, ships sailing across the Atlantic ocean, carrying American cargo and American sailors.  Our first problem with all this international commerce was the Barbary Pirates that I mentioned in episode 69, talking about Thomas Jefferson’s first term as president.  But scaring off the pirates wasn’t the only problem for our shipping industry.  

Great Britain and France were fighting each other in the Napoleonic wars, and the US was trying to remain neutral.  Part of the reason for being neutral was that the US wanted to try to keep trading with both Great Britain and also France, but neither of those countries wanted the US trading with the other.  In other words, Great Britain didn’t want the US trading with France, it only wanted the US to trade with themselves.   

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