During the 1790s, the most prominent smuggling routes in the United States were the northern border with Canada, the extensive Atlantic coastline, and a major trade circuit with the Caribbean. Smuggling occurred widely due to high federal tariffs instituted to raise revenue for the new government, creating a large profit incentive for illicit trade.
New England coast and Canada
Smuggling in the New England states was a continuation of well-established colonial routes.
- Rhode Island and Connecticut: Merchants took advantage of the states' long coastlines, quiet coves, and numerous small rivers to land illicit goods far from major port cities. Rhode Island, in particular, had a reputation as a center for smuggling.
- Maine and New Brunswick: The borderlands along what is now Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick were a prime location for smuggling, especially due to a poorly defined border. American settlers and British loyalists engaged in a lively illicit trade, exchanging Canadian furs for American goods.
- Hudson River–Lake Champlain corridor: This "riverine highway" was a long-standing and thriving smuggling route between New York and Canada. Goods such as Canadian furs were traded for items like British woolens and weapons.
Mid-Atlantic coast
The Mid-Atlantic region's extensive coastline also provided many opportunities for illegal trade.
- Long Island, New York: This location was a hub for smuggling due to its 1,100 miles of coastline, proximity to New York City, and countless deserted coves. Smugglers used these hiding spots to bring goods ashore or move them across the Long Island Sound to Connecticut to avoid taxes.
- Philadelphia and New York City: Even in major ports, smuggling flourished. While Philadelphia was the largest port in the nation at the beginning of the decade, merchants in New York and Boston had long built fortunes on smuggled goods.
Caribbean and Spanish colonies
Smuggling with the Caribbean and Spanish American territories continued to be profitable for U.S. merchants in the 1790s.
- American-Caribbean trade: Merchants in U.S. ports traded a variety of illicit goods with foreign colonial possessions in the Caribbean. During the French Revolutionary Wars of the 1790s, some of this illicit trade shifted away from the slave trade toward manufactured goods and foodstuffs.
- Slave trafficking: The transatlantic slave trade continued to involve smuggling, with ships from American ports, including those in New England, trafficking thousands of enslaved people to the Caribbean. Rhode Island was a major port for this illegal human trafficking, which was outlawed by the U.S. in 1808.
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- Who were the most prominent smugglers in the United States in the 1790s?
- How were these smugglers caught?
- What fortunes were made with smuggled goods?
