The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3rd 1783 and approved by the Congress of the Confederation in January 1784, was the formality that ended the Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the United States.

A new nation arose from the American War of Independence.

Like all things in their infancy, The United States of America struggled.

The United States poor, and somewhat crippled, without foreign trade, struggled to avoid economic turmoil.

The Empress of China, a merchant American ship sailed to the rescue.

Sailing out of New York harbor, on Washington's Birthday, February 1784 under American colors, captained by John Green, carrying a cargo of ginseng root grown in Appalachia, The Empress of China was bound for China.

Then as now, Ginseng root was held in high esteem by the Chinese for its medicinal healing qualities and became a major Chinese import. Exported by Britain prior to the revolution the colonies saw none of the benefits of the trade. America had fought for its Independence and had won, ginseng grew wild in Appalachia, and the United States now could enjoy a monopoly in ginseng export.

Other early cargos exported by the United States consisted of silver bullion, known as specie, (Spanish silver dollars) and animal pelts from the Northwest.

The Empress of China with a cargo of teas and silk returned to New York harbor in May of 1785, awarding her investors 25 percent in profits on their risk.

The demand by Americans for Chinese good such as, tea, silk, lacquer ware, furniture, and porcelain made China Trade a highly profitable enterprise. Tea was the drink of America and China was the supplier.

Philadelphia, New York, and Salem Massachusetts played the major maritime centers, with Providence, Rhode Island and Baltimore also taking a part in the China Trade at a later date.

The risks of a voyage to China were extremely high, involving bad weather, navigating around the Cape of Good Hope and the constant threat of pirates, however the rewards were real also. The first three millionaires of the United States had been involved in the China Trade.

The early entrepreneur spirit and courage of American merchants, and merchant seamen in the China Trade had established a new path for United States commerce, which would add substance to the early American economy and ultimately establish America as a global leader in international trade.