American Economic History is a survey course that will explore the American economy from its beginnings through the mid 20th century.  The class will cover a variety of macro and micreconomic issues, including the development of labor markets, government policy, the organization of industry, productivity growth, and agriculture, to name a few.  We will always be looking at one major issue:  How did the United States go from being a small isolated colony on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to the largest and most prosperous economy on the planet?  We’ll look at how that happened and use history as a way to explore how the economy may grow in the future.  Along the way, we’ll see if the American experience can help illuminate why other countries have not become wealthy and whether our shared experiences are transferable. 

 You should have a basic understanding and knowledge of economics as a prerequisite for this course.  Some basic knowledge of U.S. (non-economic) history is desirable.  We will be using basic economic theory and concepts to examine some of the causal factors underlying U.S. economic growth.  By the end of the semester you will, I hope, have a much better understanding of how we as a nation arrived at where we are today.

The required text for the course is History of the American Economy History (10^th ed.) by Walton and Rockoff (referred to as WR below).    This course encourages discussion on the economic and historical topics that we cover.  I therefore expect all students to do all the readings before class.  If I find students are not doing the readings, I may give unannounced quizzes.  Outside readings are available and on the internet.    I advise you to download the readings on the internet (most are not that long) and read them that way. 

The class will be a mix of lecture and discussion.  I expect you to pose questions on the readings (both text and others) and to be able to answer questions posed by me.

Grading
Grades will be based on two midterm exams (25% each), a final (35%), and a combination of homeworks, quizzes, and class participation (15%).