304. The First American Visited China and His China Dream

John Ledyard (1751-1789) was called “American Marco Polo” and arguably the first United States citizen to have visited “the most ancient Nation in History.” He was also the first American to design and promote a systematic plan for the United States’ trade with China. Amazed by Chinese economic power, Ledyard had worked on his plan when he was a crewmember on James Cook’s (1728-1779) third journey. He hoped that the United States would become a global trading center and would “like the Chinese command the commerce of all nations that find it their interests to visit her & not suffer by those who do or do not.”

In October 1780, Ledyard deserted the Royal Navy and found a safe place to write his experience in the third voyage with James Cook. In Uncle Thomas’ law office, Ledyard completed A Journal of Captain Cook’s Last Voyage in the winter of 1782 and the spring of 1783. Immediately after completion of his book, Ledyard started to implement his plan beginning in his native state, Connecticut. In his memorial to the Connecticut assembly, Ledyard said that his plan may be “essentially useful to America in general but particularly to the northern states by operating a most valuable trade across the North Pacific Ocean to China & the East Indies.” However, the governor of Connecticut, Jonathen Trumbull (1756-1843), was not impressed by Ledyard’s plan.

Ledyard attempted to win the support from the leaders of the United States. The leaders of the new nation, suffering from economic chaos, were working hard to find a way to lead the nation out of its distressed circumstances after their victory in the Revolutionary War. Ledyard convinced whoever interested in his plan by predicting such a trip to China “could save our country from bankruptcy on profit of the fur trade.” It could also, “give our United States a place in the commercial world.” He went to Philadelphia, the new nation’s economical center, where his “revolutionary new plan for China trade” attracted Robert Morris (1734-1806), one of the founding fathers. Morris, the Financier of the American Revolution, was the Superintendent of Finance of the United States when Ledyard met him.

In June 1783, Ledyard had a conference with Morris. He described his sailing route from the United States to China. In accordance with the route, a ship would sail around Cape Horn to the Pacific West, where the ship could buy furs pelts from the local Indians. Then the ship would sail to China with the furs, where those things would be “sold at fabulous prices.” Probably, Ledyard’s plan was too gigantic for the fledgling new nation due to the fact that a journey to China was unchartered and full of unknown to American sailors.

Robert Morris and his partners scaled back the ambitious plan recommended by Ledyard and decided to send the Empress of China from New York directly to Canton. Instead of furs from Northwest American Coast area, they decided to gather ginseng from Northeast and Virginian Mountain areas. The trading goods carried by the Empress of China and shipped to China consisted of entirely of ginseng roots.

266. China and the Founding of the United States

 

It seems a historical irony that China, the ancient and far away empire, also had an impact on the founding of the United States. Military support from France was one of the key factors in the colonists’ victory in the American Revolutionary War. One reason the French royal court fought the British in North America was to prevent a British from monopoly of trade with China.

The French court understood that the French needed a victory in order to “destroy British hegemony, not only in North America but in the sugar-rich With the accession of King Louis XVI, Charles Gravier Comte de Vergennes (1717-1787) became foreign minister. He believed that the power of the states on the periphery of Europe, namely Great Britain and Russia, was increasing and should be checked. His rivalry with the British and his desire to avenge the failure of the Seven Years’ War led to his support of the Americans in their war for independence. In 1777 he told the Thirteen Colonies’ commissioners that France acknowledged the United States and was willing to form an offensive and defensive alliance with the new nation. It was also due to his encouragement that King Louis sent expeditions to Indochina. Thomas Fleming, The Perishes of Peace: America’s Struggle for Survival After Yorktown, New York: Smithsonian Books, 2007, p.57.

211. What Would the Founding Fathers Think of the Phenominen?

According to Clayton  Dube, associate director of the US-China Institute at the University of Southern California, China's influence on the United States is rising. He reasoned that China had made efforts in recent years to improve its image abroad, and those efforts had been productive. He said, "The Chinese economy is thriving. Its influence is enormous. (That) China's economy was the second in the world attracted a lot of headlines in 2010."

I want you to remember that China was number one of the world in terms of economy during the founding fathers era. You can read more of his comments on China's influence on the United States from this link.

181. Two Schools on the Relatioins Between the United States and China

Current development of the U.S.-China relations is not in my radar. However, sometimes I feel it is interesting to introduce my readers main academic trends discussed among the experts specializing in the relations.

There are basically two schools represented by Harvard Professor Niall Ferguson, the creator of the word Chimerica. He predicts that the Chimerica is headed for Divorce. According to him, "the frictions are building and will lead to divorce, conflict and potential catastrophe. (David Brooks, New York Times July 3, 2009)

In the eyes of James Fallows of The Atlantic , Ferguson's analysis is "airy-fairy academic theorizing." He agrees that China and the U.S. will dominate the 21st century, but he sees the picture of a more benign cooperation.

138. United States and China in this Economic Recession

Dr. Wang delivered his speech at the prestigious Coffee House Club in Manhattan on March 25, 2009.

In his speech Dr. Wang told his audience, "No one knows what will happen in the future, but the past can help guide us into the future. The lessons of the past are like a map into the future. By examining the founding fathers’ efforts to prevail over the first economic crisis of the New Nation, we learn how to move forward. However, by comparing the two events (the Empress of China sailed from Manhattan in 1784 and on the first Monday of 2009the ringing of the New York Stock Exchange’s opening bell was started by Stephen Orlins, the Chairperson of the National Committee on United States-China Relations.) we have found that both events happened in Manhattan and both in critical time for the United States. Clearly, we can derive at the conclusion that China is important to the United States. The cooperation between the United States and China is crucial to prevail over the economic crisis.

121. Chinese Culture Thrives Again in America Today

You have learned a lot from my blog about Chinese cultural influence on the early development of the United States. You may wonder how about today. In the era that Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut and McDonald are seen all over China, there are still influence of Chinese Culture on the United States. You will find answer trough this link.

113. Bill Clinton on Chinese Civilization

China has played an important role in our history. In 1784, shortly after America's independence, the first American merchant ship landed in China. The Chinese officials knew we were not European, so they simply called us the "new people." And though we were unfamiliar, the Chinese allowed us to trade freely with them. So one of the oldest societies on Earth, China, extended the hand of friendship to the world's youngest nation.

Remarks at a state dinner honoring President Jiang
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Nov 3, 1997
more of his speech available through this link

112. China and the Colonists' Choice of Landing

China' s influence on North American started the first day when the colonists stepped on the American soil in Virginia in 1606. They were instructed by Virginia Company to land on the place when they could easily sailed to "other sea" (Pacific Ocean).

105. U.S.-China World Through Its Writers

This article examines briefly the history of Chinese American literature from current to the first day when the Chinese stepped on the soil of North America. According to the author, in the time when increasing globalized commerce and Olympiad competition between the United States and China, "literature may appear as the odd one in the race." However, the literature--writing of the Chinese of America will provide us with the insights through which we can look into "the shifts of Sino-American relations in the past, and inform American and Chinese readers in the present."

096. Basic Materials in U.S. China Relations

For the purpose of saving your time I provide you with the links of basic materials in the study of the Sino-American Relations. If you know other links please contact me.

01.Chinese Export Porcelain for the American Trade, 1785-1835 (free book on Google)
02.Caleb Cushing, 1800-1879
03. Cushing Papers
04.Anson Burlingame (1820-1870)
05.Burlingame Treaty, 1868
06.Li Hongzhang (1823-1901)
07.Chinese Exclusion Act, 1882
08.Chinese Americans

09.Chinese American and Trans-continental railroad
10.John Dewey in China

11.Magnuson Act, 1943
12.John Hay’s first
open door note 1899 A
13.critical examination of Open door policy
14.Open door policy
15.William W. Rockhill’s report
16.Boxer Rebellion
17.Eight-Nation Alliance
18.Boxer Rebellion Indemnity Scholarship Program

19.American forces in the Box Rebellion

20.Dollar diplomacy, 1909-1913

21.Knox plan opposed by the Russians
22.Knox plan opposed by the Japanese
23.Japanese
21 demands in 1915
24.Woodrow Wilson’s China Policy, 1913-1917 —online book
26.Russian Revolution and Wilson’s Far Eastern Policy (FTP File)
27.The Lansing and Ishii Exchange Notes of 1917
28.Treaty of Versailles 1919
29.The May fourth Movement 1919
30.US and Japan Hostility from 1915 to 1932
31.Washington conference 1921-1922
32.Five power pact
33.Nine power pact
34.American Policy and the Chinese Revolution, 1925-1928 (online book)
35.Kellogg and Briand pact of 1928
36.September 18, 1931 Incident
37.Stimson Doctrine, 1932
38.Lytton Report
39.Chennault’s Flying Tiger
40.Chinese Americans’ Contribution during the Sino-Japanese War

41.Sino-American Treaty 1943
42.The Chinese Exclusion Repeal Act, December 17, 1943

43.Cairo Conference, November 22-26, 1943
44,Cairo Declaration, 1943
45.PRC’s position on Cairo Declaration
45.Taiwan Independent opinion
46.Dixie Mission ---United States Army Observation Group, 1944-1947
47.Hurley Mission, 1944
48.China-
Burma (Myanmar)-India Theater
49.General
Stillwell and Chiang Jieshi

50.Tehran Conference, November 28-December 1, 1943
51.Marshall Mission and its Failure, 1945-1947

52.Yalta Conference, February 4-11, 1945

53.Potsdam Conference, July 16- August 2, 1945

54.Potsdam Agreement
55.Mao Zedong on US China Relations, including White Paper Friedship or Agrression Fairwell. Leighton Stuart Cast Away Illusions
56.Dean Acheson
57.Dean
Acheson Papers
58.China Lobby
59.Joseph McCarthy, 1908-1957
60.Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty 1954
61.Chinese Nuclear Weapons
62.The history of the first Chinese Atomic Bomb
63.Ping Pang Diplomacy, 1971
64.Nixon’s Trip to China with original documents
65.The Shanghai Communiqué, February, 27, 1972
66.Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, 1 January 1979
67.Joint Sino-US Communiqué, August 17, 1982
68.Taiwan Relation Act, January 1, 1979
69.US Arms Sales to Taiwan, Congress Report 2008
70.Major Events in US.-China Relations, 1972- 2001
71.Taiwan’s Political Status: Historical Background and On-going Implications (PDF)
72.Normalization of US and China Relations: An Introductory History

069. Bejing, Washington and Myanmar

Recently demonstrations participated by the Buddhist monks and lay people in Myanmar attracted the attention of the world. Dr. Wang analyzes the interaction between China and the United States and its influence on the Myanmar's future.