Taxes on Trade, American-Made: A Brief History of United States Tariffs in Eight Acts

Please join us for a presentation that will examine key constitutional, political, and socio-economic debates about American tariffs from Washington’s presidency through the post-World War Two era. Discussion will center on several watershed moments, from Hamilton’s fiscal and economic program through the creation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). 

This talk will be on the history of tariffs in the U.S., not a discussion about current events. Put somewhat differently, the presentation will shed light on the latter by examining the former. In point of fact, most if not all of the current debates about American tariff policy have precedents that date back decades or even centuries.     

Francis Michael Coan, great-grandson of Irish immigrants, was born and raised in Bristol, Connecticut, where his family has resided since 1906. He grew up in a household full of books, toy soldiers, and plastic models (most of which he built) of World War Two aircraft and armored fighting vehicles. He holds a B.A. in Geography and M.A. in History from Central Connecticut State University and a Ph.D. in History from the University of Connecticut. Primarily a military historian, he wrote his dissertation on the origins and early history of the Connecticut National Guard and has published a number of encyclopedia entries and book reviews on military topics. Hired as an adjunct instructor in 1991, he taught history, geography, and American government at Tunxis Community College until his retirement in 2023. From 2007 through 2019, he chaired the Social Sciences and History Department at the college. He lives with his wife, Sally, and one regal but slightly spoiled purebred Norwegian Forest Cat rescue, Countess Mia Inga Theresa Skogkatt vom Kleinen Kastell.

Registration suggested.