From Bourbon Reform to Open Markets in California, 1801-1821

The Consulado de México was the mercantile guild that acted as commercial nerve-center of Spain’s empire in the Americas. From 1801 to 1821, one of its members, Pedro González de Noriega, influenced California’s economic growth by putting his nephew, José de la Guerra y Noriega, into the colony’s mi...

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Main Author: Marie Christine Duggan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitat de Barcelona 2023-01-01
Series:Journal of Evolutionary Studies in Business
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/JESB/article/view/34100
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author Marie Christine Duggan
author_facet Marie Christine Duggan
author_sort Marie Christine Duggan
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description The Consulado de México was the mercantile guild that acted as commercial nerve-center of Spain’s empire in the Americas. From 1801 to 1821, one of its members, Pedro González de Noriega, influenced California’s economic growth by putting his nephew, José de la Guerra y Noriega, into the colony’s military supply line. In 1801, for what purpose did De la Guerra y Noriega come to California? Whatever his intention, his life-plan changed in 1810, when insurgency broke out in New Spain, and military payroll ceased to arrive in California. Between 1811 and 1821, how did De la Guerra y Noriega adapt to this structural change by negotiating with international merchants from Manila to San Blas and Lima to supply California? As Spain’s empire unraveled, we follow the microhistory of the Noriega mercantile network, as it reconfigured to the macroeconomic context of political transformation of the Pacific Rim in the context of Mexican independence from Spain. The De la Guerra Collection at the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library reveals that Guadalajara was Mexico’s emerging center for Pacific commerce, with San Blas as Guadalajara’s principal port. By Mexican independence in 1821, De la Guerra had established Santa Bárbara, California as the center of his family’s business, rather than Mexico City. Even as Manila merchants relocated to Tepic, he maintained ties with them. He also traded with the British in Callao, Peru, which is how he came to send his son to be educated in Liverpool with the Brotherston family.
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spelling doaj.art-f48e675d2108493fa8070b85ad6abc322023-01-09T12:32:42ZengUniversitat de BarcelonaJournal of Evolutionary Studies in Business2385-71372023-01-0181434380https://doi.org/10.1344/jesb2023.8.1.34100From Bourbon Reform to Open Markets in California, 1801-1821Marie Christine Duggan0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9244-4658Keene State CollegeThe Consulado de México was the mercantile guild that acted as commercial nerve-center of Spain’s empire in the Americas. From 1801 to 1821, one of its members, Pedro González de Noriega, influenced California’s economic growth by putting his nephew, José de la Guerra y Noriega, into the colony’s military supply line. In 1801, for what purpose did De la Guerra y Noriega come to California? Whatever his intention, his life-plan changed in 1810, when insurgency broke out in New Spain, and military payroll ceased to arrive in California. Between 1811 and 1821, how did De la Guerra y Noriega adapt to this structural change by negotiating with international merchants from Manila to San Blas and Lima to supply California? As Spain’s empire unraveled, we follow the microhistory of the Noriega mercantile network, as it reconfigured to the macroeconomic context of political transformation of the Pacific Rim in the context of Mexican independence from Spain. The De la Guerra Collection at the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library reveals that Guadalajara was Mexico’s emerging center for Pacific commerce, with San Blas as Guadalajara’s principal port. By Mexican independence in 1821, De la Guerra had established Santa Bárbara, California as the center of his family’s business, rather than Mexico City. Even as Manila merchants relocated to Tepic, he maintained ties with them. He also traded with the British in Callao, Peru, which is how he came to send his son to be educated in Liverpool with the Brotherston family.https://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/JESB/article/view/34100californiachina tradeconsulado de mexiconoriegapresidiospacific rim commerceotter hidesmanilasan blaslimabourbon reform1810
spellingShingle Marie Christine Duggan
From Bourbon Reform to Open Markets in California, 1801-1821
Journal of Evolutionary Studies in Business
california
china trade
consulado de mexico
noriega
presidios
pacific rim commerce
otter hides
manila
san blas
lima
bourbon reform
1810
title From Bourbon Reform to Open Markets in California, 1801-1821
title_full From Bourbon Reform to Open Markets in California, 1801-1821
title_fullStr From Bourbon Reform to Open Markets in California, 1801-1821
title_full_unstemmed From Bourbon Reform to Open Markets in California, 1801-1821
title_short From Bourbon Reform to Open Markets in California, 1801-1821
title_sort from bourbon reform to open markets in california 1801 1821
topic california
china trade
consulado de mexico
noriega
presidios
pacific rim commerce
otter hides
manila
san blas
lima
bourbon reform
1810
url https://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/JESB/article/view/34100
work_keys_str_mv AT mariechristineduggan frombourbonreformtoopenmarketsincalifornia18011821