Table of Contents
Introduction Historical analysis Algonquian peoples Sag Harbor The expansion of the U.S. whaling industry The decline of whaling Effects of the age of whaling Conclusion Bibliography
Introduction
The whaling industry was a vast international network of commercial relationships. In this regard, only the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries witnessed a demand for whale oil. Whale hunting was a key source of wealth and influence among major nations. It was studied in light of contemporary petroleum oil connections. Thus, the purpose of this article is to examine the origins of the whaling industry in the United States and globally. In New York, the early whalers are regarded to have merged with the first settlers. Thus, Sag Harbor became the location from which whaling enterprises originated. The outlook on the commencement of whale hunting and its decline is mixed with the distinct social and economic stages of connections in a country with a multiethnic background that is only becoming independent. Native Americans were also permitted to participate directly in this procedure. According to the chronicle, they were the first people on the American continent to successfully catch whales. The evolution of the industry encompassed every stage, from its inception to its downfall. When Enlightenment concepts influenced civilized society, the whaling business was the reason for dominance and priority in the world. It encompassed the entirety of all material values that may distinguish individuals from the rest.
Historical analysis
The Native American whalers of the 16th and 17th centuries were among the most skilled and professional whalemen. In addition, they were the first to provide this service within the present borders of the United States. First New Yorkers were keenly interested in this field of endeavor and attempted to imitate the concepts and methods of whaling employed by their continental predecessors:
The early colonists learnt the basics of whaling from them and, using improved techniques such as light cedar boats and iron harpoons, they became the first white offshore whalers in the United States. For a few of generations, though, they continued to regard their Algonquin neighbors as more skilled, employing them whenever feasible to throw harpoons and wield lances (Pritchard 324).
The sound of fishermen's voices
First colonists saw an extraordinary opportunity to improve their circumstances by utilizing a novel substance, whale oil. This cargo was the most prized, thus the sailors did their utmost to earn hefty pay. Beginning in the late eighteenth century, the American whaling industry began to expand. Due to the global whale markets, the rationale for this type of enterprise was articulated with a focus on business circles and sailors. Sag Harbor is renowned for its pioneering role in whaling along the Atlantic coast of the United States and, in particular, Long Island. It is crucial to note that the Dutch whaling effort at that time beyond the boundaries of the industry, as "between 1675 and 1721, the Dutch killed 32,907 whales" (Dolin 104). These enormous riches aid this nation in expanding its regions of influence.
Algonquian peoples
In early American history, Long Island was home to thirteen Native American tribes, of which only two were associated with whaling. Montauks were the island's most populous tribe. They were diligent and skilled at fishing and whaling, to be exact. In addition, their mastery was borrowed by English, Dutch, and other colonists settling in the New York area. The issue of cooperation arose when the colonists attempted to increase their overall whaling skills and outcomes. Numerous contracts for fishing and whaling were negotiated between the Native population and Europeans (Dolin 75). As a result of the rivalry between British and Dutch settlers for market domination in the whaling industry, the majority of these texts had an uneven tone.
Indigenous Boats
Long Island Algonquians differed from their white neighbors in their customs and rites, as well as their ability to study nature to provide for their needs. "The people probably saw no reason to abandon their hunting and gathering practices because the abundance of wild plants, fish, shellfish, and game near their villages provided a balanced, predictable food supply" (Strong 6). Due to this significant reason, the abilities of the Montauk people were implicit in their Kachinas beliefs and philosophy. Strange as it may seem, they also viewed whaling as a means of approaching the spiritual world's higher plane. They whaled using canoes with swift navigation.
Indigenous Boats
Two canoes were utilized in the successful whaling operation. Hunters on one vessel attempted to capture a whale by throwing a lance into its body multiple times from the side of the other vessel.
Sag Harbor
Sag Harbor in New England is regarded as the initial location where the whaling industry emerged on the North American continent. Located in New England, the harbor's lines and proximity to Gardiner's Bay are magnificent and practical (Barber 333). This area was part of Suffolk County, which contained nine towns, the most notable of which are Brookhaven, East Hampton, and Southampton (Barber 333).
In addition, the port's convenience allowed fishermen to catch more fish annually. In this regard, Harbor was peaceful and well-protected. Here, there were no obstacles to the effective trade of whales and whale-related products. In the early half of the nineteenth century, Sag Harbor became known as the hub of American whaling and fishing commerce. In addition, Sag Harbor's sixty-ship fleet was second only to that of New Bedford, Massachusetts (Pritchard 324). This harbor was extensively used by the indigenous population for fishing and whaling for a long time. In regards to whaling, Montauk residents were very concerned in their ties with their white neighbors. "In the streets of Sag Harbor, Long Island Indians flush with cash could be seen lavishly spending and giving away their wealth" (Pritchard 324).
The expansion of the U.S. whaling industry
At the onset of the nineteenth century, the quantity of whaling increased from year to year. In this regard, the American industrial sector assumed the continuation of the struggle against sperm whales. This characteristic encouraged sailors to travel further from the coast in search of these creatures. Moreover, the growth of the industry was contingent upon millions of dollars being spent (French and Place 632). During the first four decades of whaling in the United States, an increase in vessels and whalers contributed to the industry's success. Between 1830 and 1860, the North Atlantic fishery was at its peak, and whalers' total capture exceeded all expectations. The need for money was greater than the desire for the protection of nature's flora and fauna. Sperm whales were close to extinction as a result of such unreasonable whaling practices.
The sperm fishery was reverting to the American monopoly it had been prior to the American Revolution, which was fortunate given the precipitous drop in catches. The 2,694,000 gallons imported between 1851 and 1855 were 601,000 less than the preceding five-year period (Mawer 258).
Whale oil began driving the United States economy and was a unique and unprecedented factor in the relationship's improvement. Here, it is important to note that the zenith of the American whaling industry occurred in 1846, when the whaling fleet had 736 ships and more than 70,000 persons directly engaged in sailing (Dolin 136). Throughout this regard, the large parameters of the grabs were distributed not only in the American portion of the globe, but also in Europe and elsewhere. However, in colonies, trade and commerce were heavily influenced by the importance of whale oil. As a result, the United States enjoyed more economic potential in the form of stability and consistent growth.
decrease in whaling
The United States whaling industry had a distinct historical profile. People were competent and willing to develop additional tactics for a larger catch. This meant that whales and sperm whales in particular were experiencing diminishing natural resources. Before the seventh decade of the 19th century, there was a decline in the industry's requirement for large numbers of workers. There were numerous causes for this worldwide and in the United States in particular.
The sound of fishermen's voices
Middle of the nineteenth century saw the discovery of new business and economic growth regions as a result of the United States' expansion. In this instance, the American people were still motivated by quick profits. In other words, people living in a capitalist society were enticed by the promise of greater opportunities for an improved life devoid of poverty. Consequently, greater development of new territories and the discovery of relatively substantial for the industry resources in the interior of the earth propelled a second wave of Americans toward the chance of being wealthy immediately.
The decline of whaling after 1850 caused the decline of the industry. In 1860, sperm oil imports had decreased to 73 708 barrels, and in the years during and after the Civil War, this figure dropped to 50,000 barrels (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 324). The conflicts between the North and South of the United States, as well as the preconditions for the Civil War, were the primary factor that affected the internal dimension of social, economic, and political interactions. People were interested in products that were less significant in the realm of trade and commerce than this one. The importance of natural gas, petroleum, and vegetable oils increased on the international market. People also knew that new markets need positive development and increased evaluation efforts. In this instance, the primary economic factors were the gold rush of 1849 and the discovery of oil resources in Pennsylvania. Gold and oil were considerably more competitive than sperm whale oil. Another rationale was the transition of whales into other key products:
The whaling interests also contributed to the decline by refocusing their efforts on the right whale and bowhead fisheries, to which they were attracted by the opening of North Pacific and western Arctic grounds and the two valuable commodities — baleen and oil — that these whales provided (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 324).
Due to the disorientation of the American economy in its previous fields and a lack of state power awareness of the country's situation, the Civil War had significant effects on the collapse of whaling. In addition, the coal-mining and logging sectors afforded the Appalachian region of the United States a greater number of prospects for economic development. Prior to the age of rapid industrialization, there was a need for innovative energy products. In the latter half of the 19th century, the scientifically logical approach dominated. This is because a new age in human history mandated the production of energy and power from natural deposits of petroleum, gas, coal, and other inputs, which rendered whaling obsolete.
Effects of the age of whaling
In the age of whaling, humans were presented with new opportunities about the whales' destination in relation to their requirements. This desire of corporate circles of the time for only monetary comforts did not account for the harms made to nature from the very beginning. Today, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) regulates the commercial whaling industry (Estes 368). This organization regulates modern connections between countries located in close proximity to oceans from the perspective of protecting the natural environment and populations of various whale species. Nonetheless, governments (especially Iceland, Norway, and Japan) continue to support commercial whaling, posing a threat to these mammal species.
The sound of fishermen's voices
Conclusion
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the whaling business played a significant role in the growth of trade and commerce. The establishment of the United States and its proximity to indigenous populations provided chances for colonists to borrow Indian whaling techniques for commercial use with modifications. Sag Harbor was a highly convenient location for a vast fisheries. It was the wealthiest and most prosperous place in New England due to whaling. The time between the 1820s and the 1850s is considered to be the peak of the whaling industry in the United States. In dollar terms, 1854 was the most profitable year, with a total of $10,766,521 earned (Mawer 263). In the second half of the nineteenth century, the Civil War and the discovery of new sources of energy contributed to the demise of whaling. Gold, natural gas, and petroleum commanded more attention at that time. The significance of whaling diminished, and it evolved into the usage of bowhead fishery and trading baleen. The repercussions of the whaling era are detrimental to the current status of various whale species. Even though commercial whaling is still practiced on a global scale, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has the ability to restrict countries' whaling efforts.
Bibliography
Historical collections of the state of New York: containing a general compilation of the most important facts, biographical sketches, various descriptions, etc. relating to the past and present: with geographical descriptions of the counties, principal cities, and principal villages. Clark, Austin & Co. published the author's work in New York in 1851.
Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America, by Eric J. Dolin 2007: W. W. Norton, New York
Whales, whaling, and ocean ecosystems. James A. Estes. University of California Press, Berkeley, California, 2006.
Indigenous Boats. More American Indian whale hunting. 2008. Hyperlink. Web.
Fishermen's Speak. Comprised of numerous papers and presentations. Hyperlink: Web.
Organization for Food and Agriculture of the United Nations and Working Group on Marine Mammals. Large cetaceans and general literature on marine mammals. Vol. 3 (5). Rome: Food & Agriculture Org., 1982.
English: John Homer French and Frank Place. Gazetteer of the State of New York: comprising an exhaustive view of the topography, geology, and general history of the state, as well as a thorough history and description of every county, city, town, village, and locale. With complete statistical tables. Ed. 7. 1860. New York: R.P. Smith.
Mawer, Granville Allen. Ahab's Trade: The saga of whaling in the South Seas. Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2001.
Native New Yorkers: the legacy of the Algonquin people of New York, by Evan T. Pritchard. Washington, DC: Council Oak Books, 2002.
The Montaukett Indians of Eastern Long Island: The Iroquois and their contemporaries. New York: Syracuse University Press, 2006.
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