America's been arguing over trade for more than 250 years

As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of declaring its independence from Britain, Americans continue a tradition begun even longer ago: debating trade and tariffs. In recent years, disagreements over the US role in the world economy have grown particularly intense amid rising geopolitical tensions. A brief look at history offers an opportunity to reflect on the importance of international trade to the US economy over time.

From the early 1600s, British settlers in North America relied on overseas trade for their well-being. Trade furnished the colonists with clothing and blankets,…