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Maine and the Orient:
History of Trade with the Orient |
The earliest traders between Europe and the Far East crossed Asia over land routes often called the Silk Road. Europeans prized Chinese silks and spices from the East Indies. Venetian explorer Marco Polo was the most famous early traveler to China, venturing to the site of present-day Beijing in 1261.
In 1498 Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, opening seas and ports all the way to Nagasaki, Japan. Thanks to his explorations, Portugal gained early control of trade with the Far East.
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By the late sixteenth century, piracy had forced China to close its coastal ports to trade with Japan. In 1557 China “rented” Macao to Portugal in return for help with defense. Macao was an important city because of its location at the mouth of the Pearl River leading to Whampoa Harbor and Canton.
In 1600, Queen Elizabeth I chartered the British East India Company, and in1602 the Estates-General of the Netherlands formed the Dutch East India Company. These groups were the managers of trade with the Orient.
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By 1675, England, Holland, France, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, and Spain were all established in Canton. Western merchants were restricted to Hongs: combined residences, warehouses, and trading centers.
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