1717-January-01: The commercial interdependence between the North American colonies and Saint-Domingue was formally recognized when the French government aut…

1717-January-01: The commercial interdependence between the North American colonies and Saint-Domingue was formally recognized when the French government authorized a specific trade agreement. This policy allowed for the exchange of New England fish for molasses produced in the French colony. This trade led to the establishment of sixty-three distilleries in Massachusetts alone for the purpose of converting French molasses into rum. This economic link was so strong that it persisted despite official British attempts to restrict trade with foreign colonies. Logan identifies this as a critical moment where the economic health of New England became tied to the production of Saint-Domingue’s slave plantations.