This same year many factories were established in and around the Baltimore area to provide the goods that the merchants like Plowman could no longer get from abroad and had been prohibited from making in the Americas by the British. Life for merchants such as Jonathan Plowman was hard, with a requirement to register their ships in Annapolis before leaving or arriving in Baltimore. In 1780 they finally rectified this hardship with a Customs Office in Baltimore.
In the same year, numerous factories were set up in and around Baltimore to supply goods that merchants like Plowman could no longer obtain from abroad due to British restrictions on manufacturing in the Americas. The lives of merchants such as Jonathan Plowman were challenging, with a need to register their ships in Annapolis before departing or arriving in Baltimore. In 1780, they overcame this difficulty by establishing a Customs Office in Baltimore.