New England used to be associated with merchants and mariners. Would joining a private vessel as a m...

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New England used to be associated with merchants and mariners. Would joining a private vessel as a merchant sailor or officer have been seen as a respectable career for a boy/man from a good family or was this mostly seen as a working class trajectory/career?

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100Fowers is in New England

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New England is dotted with lighthouses and it has a reputation of being associated with sailors and sea captains. 2 (but up to 5 depending on you how count New York and the Coast Guard Academy) of America’s maritime academies are located in or near New England.

During the height of New England shipping or whaling culture, how respectable would a career as a sailor, deck officer, or sea captain be seen by the gentry and WASP upper class of New England? Would it be customary for a family of Episcopalian or Puritan stock to send a son to the sea? Would a career as a sea captain be considered an acceptable or respectable position for a gentleman?

Or was there a class divide between regular seamen and officers/captains?

Thank you

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100Fowers

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Posted: 4 months ago
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