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The concept of empire pervades most scholarly discussions of transnational and world history, especially for the 18th and 19th centuries. However, empire as an analytical tool has its limitations for explaining the attitudes and behaviors of individuals in the early modern Pacific Ocean. Drawing on recent scholarship by scholars of the United States, Pacific, and world history, this essay highlights the individualistic activities and motivations of American traders and sailors as they sought profit in the Pacific borderlands prior to 1850.

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