1785: Trade between the Gulf Coast province of Louisiana and Saint-Domingue began a period of rapid expansion under new colonial regulations.

1785: Trade between the Gulf Coast province of Louisiana and Saint-Domingue began a period of rapid expansion under new colonial regulations. This surge in maritime traffic made the task of increasing exclusive Spanish commerce in the region “utterly impossible” for metropolitan officials. The frequent arrival of ships from the French colony ensured a steady flow of both provisions and intelligence to New Orleans. For the enslaved and masterless, these commercial routes served as vital conduits for the “common wind” of revolutionary news. This economic integration proved that regional proximity often outweighed the political desires of European courts.