About This Conference


Twelfth Annual Conference of the
Program in Early American Economy and Society

Library Company of Philadelphia,
1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA

During the colonial and early republic years in North America, various foreign networks of individuals and institutions provided funds, credit, and knowledge to North Americans. These resources became vital forms of transnational investment for many commercial, internal development, philanthropic, and banking enterprises. New research highlights the great reach of foreign capital and credit into North America, as well as the role of strategic international marriages, transnational secrecy, and collaborations of families across imperial boundaries, and collaborative and competitive lending by both individuals and early banks across national boundaries. Indeed, all major kinds of development during these years drew upon the money and expertise of Europeans, South Americans, North Africans, and Caribbean peoples. The papers for this conference explore many facets of this blurring of boundaries among international resources and peoples and will engage the audience in some reflections about the rich international archives that illuminate these relationships between North Americans and foreign investors.

Papers by the presenters will be available by early September 2012.

This conference is free and open to everyone interested in the topic. Please let us know if you will be attending by registering electronically.

Conference Co-Sponsors


This conference is a collaborative effort between the Library Company's Program in Early American Economy and Society (PEAES) and The Rothschild Archive, London.

PEAES is dedicated to promoting scholarship and public understanding of the early American economy, broadly conceived. In addition to annual conferences such as this one, PEAES awards research fellowships for both junior and senior scholars, collaborates on a monograph series with Johns Hopkins University Press, publishes conference scholarship in special issues of journals, hosts public seminars and fellows colloquia, offers a regional survey of manuscript and printed resources in economic history, and organizes public programs. www.librarycompany.org/economics

The Rothschild Archive, London, was established in 1978 to preserve and arrange the record of a family that made a profound contribution to the economic, political, and social history of many countries throughout the world. The Archive not only collects many facets of the family's history but also maintains an international research center in London for the furtherance of study in these fields and a website that guides scholars from around the world to its riches. www.rothschildarchive.org