Imperial Russia and the Atlantic: An Exploration of Imperial Russia's Naval Stores Trade with Great Britain, France, and Colonial America from 1555-1783

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Molzahn, Abbi Noel
- Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of History

Abstract

This thesis incorporates Imperial Russia into New Atlantic History via its naval stores trade with Great Britain, France, and Colonial America from 1553-1783. Since naval stores such as timber, cordage, tar, pitch, turpentine, hemp, and rosin were used to construct and maintain ships, a comparative analysis of the above three powers' domestic production levels of naval stores with their overall importation levels from Imperial Russia provides a solid basis from which to reevaluate Imperial Russia's relationship not only to the Atlantic Community, but also to one of the most important events in Atlantic history, the American Revolution. Upon doing so it becomes strikingly apparent that all three powers were significantly dependent upon Imperia Russia for naval stores. This demonstrates that Imperial Russia was an integral member of the Atlantic community as well as an influential player in the American Revolution, especially due to its Armed Neutrality Act of 1780.

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