Shepherd, J. American Economic History
ECONOMICS 218
American Economic History
Whitman College
Mr.Shepherd
Second Semester, 1990-91
9:00 MTTh
Maxey 202
Texts: Jonathan Hughes, American Economic History (3rd ed.;
Glenview, Illinois: Scott Foresman and Company, 1990)
Gary M. Walton and James F. Shepherd, The Economic Rise
of Early America (Cambridge University Press, 1979)
Douglass C. North, Terry L. Anderson, and Peter J. Hill,
Growth and Welfare in the American Past: A New Economic
History (3rd ed.; Prentice-Hall, 1983)
References: See Reference Book List
Course Requirements and Grading:
Course requirements shall consist of the reading assignments,
attending class, and participating in class discussions. It will be
necessary to do the assigned reading before it is covered in class
in order to accomplish the goal of class participation and
discussion.
In addition, several short written papers will be assigned on
various topics and historical issues. These should be no more than
the equivalent of 3-5 double-spaced typed pages, At the end of the
semester an oral report will be assigned on a topic pertaining to
the economy in 1914-1939. This report will also be handed in as a
longer term paper. The length of the paper will be up to you, but
it is suggested that 8-15 pages will be appropriate. This paper
will be due on the last day of class (May 7).
Finally, two essay examinations will be given. They will
cover various topics from the reading. The first mid-semester
examination will cover the readings assigned through the week of
February 19. The second mid-semester examination will cover the
readings assigned through the week of April 15.
Your final grade will be a composite of grades received on the
various course requirements. About equal weight will be given to
each examination, the short papers (taken together), the oral
report and paper due at the end of the semester, and class
participation and discussion.
Course Outline:
Week of Topic
Reading
January 14 Introduction to American economic history; NAH
1-3
U.S. Economic growth--an overview;
sources of economic growth
January 21 The European origins; the American colonial H 1-2
economy, 1607-1775 W&S 1-3,NAH 4
January 28 The colonial economy (continued); the H 3-4
Revolution and Period of Confederation W&S 4-8
1775-1790 NAH 5
February 4 The Period of Confederation (Contd); the H 5-8
early national period, 1790-1815 W&S 9
NAH 6
(pp.65-71)
February 11 Improvements in transportation H 9,
14
Fogel 1,
6
NAH 9
February 18 Washington's Holiday
February 19 Patterns of internal trade; the economy of H 10
the antebellum South North 1,
3, 7, 10
NAH 6
(pp. 71-79),7
February 25 The profitability of slavery; the economic H 12,
13
impact of the American Civil War F&E 1,
6 Epilogue
February 28 FIRST MID SEMESTER EXAMINATION
March 4 The Postbellum South; northern agriculture H 15
after the Civil War R&S
1, 2, 9
NAH 11
March 9-24 Spring Vacation
March 25 American industrialization and urbanization; H 16, 17
immigration NAH 12,
13
April 1 & 8 Monetary and financial developments; H 11,
19, 20;
international economic relations DEP 10, 14
April 15 The role of government; labor H 18, 21,
22
NAH 8,
10
April 18 SECOND MID-SEMESTER EXAMINATION
April 22 The American economy, 1914-1982 H 23, 32
NAH 14,
15,
C
1,5,6,7,10
April 25 Oral reports
April 29 Oral reports (contd)
May 6 Oral reports (contd)
May 8 Reading Day
Econ 218, Spring 1991
Key to reading: H = J. Hughes, American Economic History
W&S = G. Walton and J. Shepherd, The Economic Rise
of Early America
NAH = D.C. North, T.L. Anderson, and P.J. Hill,
Growth & Welfare in the American Past, 3rd ed.
Fogel = R. Fogel, Railroads and American Economic
Growth
North = D.C. North The Economic Growth of the United
States,
1790-1860
F&E = R. Fogel and S. Engerman, Time on the Cross:
The Economics of American Negro Slavery
R&S = R. Ransom and R. Sutch, One Kind of Freedom
Wright = Gavin Wright, "The Origins of American
Industrial Success, 1879-1940."
American Economic Review (September 1990), pp.
651-68)
DEP = L. Davis, R. Easterlin, W. Parker, American
Economic Growth: An Economist's History of the
United States
C = L. Chandler, America's Greatest Depression,
1929-1941
Name:
ECONOMICS
218
American
Economic History
Whitman College
Mr. Shepherd
Spring Semester
First mid-semester
examination
Answer any two (and only two) of the following five questions.
Carefully organize your answers in order that they focus directly
upon the question asked. Be as complete as possible within the
time which you have to answer the two questions. Please circle
below the questions on this test sheet which you choose to answer,
and return this copy of the examination with your bluebook.
1. Discuss the reasons economic growth takes place, and the long-
term trends of U.S. economic growth from the early 19th century to
the present. Include in your answer the problems of defining and
measuring such growth, and the evidence regarding these trends.
2. Describe the development of the overseas trade of the American
colonial economy, and the patterns of this trade by the end of the
colonial period. Discuss the role of this trade in the development
of the American economy.
3. Discuss the impact of the Revolutionary War and independence
upon the American economy from the Declaration of Independence to
the early 1790's. Include in your discussion the effects of
independence upon patterns of trade and economic welfare, and the
controversy over the state of the economy.
4. Describe the economic provisions contained in the constitution
of the United States and subsequent Federalist policies and
legislation. What was the importance of these provisions,
policies, and the legislative acts for the development of the U.S.
economy. Discuss Charles Beard's contention about the men who
participated in the framing of the Constitution.
5. Discuss the development of the American economy from 1790 to
1815. What were the important events which took place, and what
were the forces which shaped economic change during this period?
Name:
Economics 218
American Economic History
Whitman College
Mr. Shepherd
Second semester 1990-91
Second Examination
Please answer any two of the following five questions. Carefully
organize your answers in order that they focus directly on the
question asked. Be as complete as possible within the limits of
time. On this test sheet. please circle the number of the two
questions you choose to answer, and return this examination with
your bluebook. Please put your name on both.
1. Transportation always has been considered important to American
economic development. Discuss the role which transportation played
in U.S. economic development. Include in your discussion a
description of the improvements in transportation which came about
during the nineteenth century.
Were railroads indispensable to the development of the American
economy? Fully discuss and defend your answer.
2. Discuss the patterns of regional specialization which developed
in the antebellum United States, and the relation of these patterns
to U.S. growth and development in this period.
Discuss the arguments made by Douglass C. North about this
regional specialization, and the evidence which bears upon these
issues.
3. American agriculture has declined relative to other sectors of
the economy during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Yet,
the changes in agricultural output and productivity have been of
such magnitude as to have been labeled an "agricultural
revolution". Describe and discuss these changes, the timing of
them, and the reasons for them.
4. From principally agricultural nation at the beginning of the
nineteenth century, the United States by 1900 emerged as the
world's greatest industrial power, and increased this position to
one of commanding dimensions by the mid-twentieth century. Discuss
these changes and their timing since 1800, and explain the factors
which were important to this industrialization.