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Skull and Heap, image courtesy of Independence National Historical Park. |
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A merchant is a person who purchases goods and then sells them for a profit. Some merchants specialized in a specific product. For instance, there were flour merchants, wine merchants, and tea merchants; but other merchants dealt with a wider range of goods. Merchants were usually among the wealthiest residents of Philadelphia. They owned ships that they sent to Asia for spices, china, and silk; to the Caribbean for coffee and sugar; and to Europe for tea, household goods, clothing, and many other everyday necessities. Merchants usually owned shops where they would sell the goods that were brought back from all over the world. One wealthy Philadelphia merchant was Robert Morris. He was one of the main financiers of the Revolutionary War and he played a large role in the creation of a national bank. He was also a delegate to the Second Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention that met in Independence Hall. When Philadelphia became the capital city of the new nation, President George Washington and his family moved into Robert Morris' house near the corner of Sixth and High Streets. High Street is now called Market Street. Another Philadelphia merchant was Patrick Hays. James Forten made sails for his ships the Emma and the Tortine. These ships made regular voyages to China and Cuba where Hays did most of his business. |
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