- President Jefferson being held up by King George and Napoleon, 1809: a contemporary critique of the Embargo Act
The US Congress passed the Embargo Act of 1807 today, restricting American ships—-SALEM ships—-from engaging in foreign trade. This act, in conjunction with the oddly-named “Nonintercourse Acts” and the War of 1812, was devestating to the port of Salem and its merchants. Anyone who walks the streets of Salem can see the architectural legacy of the massive wealth accumulated in the Federal era, and the Embargo Act led Salem into a new era and identity: from cosmopolitan port to “Witch City” . I am not an American historian so it’s easy for me to be somewhat cavalier about this transition: Salem lost its economic foundation and so created a somewhat superficial and tawdry new one based on the dark events of 1692.
Today Salem seems to be embracing and emphasizing its comprehensive past and leaving “Witch City” somewhat behind, but it will never shed that label completely. I am a fierce critic of witchcraft tourism and the pseudo-“museums” downtown, but even I was tempted to purchase an adorable, locally-made witch hat at Pamplemousse on Essex Street!
February 14th, 2014 at 7:19 pm
This is a topic that is near to my heart…
Many thanks! Exactly where are your contact details though?
March 29th, 2014 at 4:33 pm
My brother suggested I would possibly like this blog.
He was once totally right. This post truly made my day.
You can not believe simply how a lot time I had spent
for this info! Thanks!
May 27th, 2014 at 3:24 pm
Hello! Someone in my Myspace group shared this website with us
so I came to look it over. I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m
bookmarking and will be tweeting this to my followers!
Terrific blog and brilliant design and style.