American Economic History (5th Edition)

America's present economy understood through its past. Rich in both quantitative techniques and economic theory, American Economic History demonstrates how an understanding of our past can illuminate economic issues that face society today and in the future. In simple, elegant language, this text walks readers through four centuries of political, social, and economic history, focusing on laws and institutions and emphasizing current economic topics. The Fifth Edition of American Economic History is preceded by the superb reputation of earlier editions and of Hughes in particular, known for his writing style. Cain has carefully revised and updated the text while maintaining an elegant writing style. The presentation is nontechnical and rich in economic theory and quantitative techniques. Preface - xiii Acknowledgments - xvi Introduction - xviii Part 1: The Colonial Period, 1607-1783 - 1 Chapter 1: Overseas Empire - 3 Chapter 2: Colonial Development -24 Chapter 3: America on the Eve of Revolution - 43 Chapter 4: Gaining Independence - 62 Part 2: The National Period and Constitutional Crisis, 1783-1861 - 83 Chapter 5: Westward Expansion - 85 Chapter 6: Population and Labor Force - 103 Chapter 7: Law and the Rise of Classical American Capitalism - 127 Chapter 8: Transportation, Internal Improvements, and Urbanization - 141 Chapter 9: Agricultural Expansion: The Conflict of Two Systems on the Land - 163 Chapter 10: The Debate Over Slavery - 182 Chapter 11: The Early Industrial Sector - 200 Chapter 12: The Financial System and International Economy - 224 Part 3: The Rise of an Industrial Society, 1861-1914 - 251 Chapter 13: Economic Effects of the Civil War - 253 Chapter 14: Railroads and Economic Development - 273 Chapter 15: Post-Civil War Agriculture - 290 Chapter 16: Population Growth and the Atlantic Migration - 309 Chapter 17: Industrialization and Urban Growth - 325 Chapter 18: Big Business and Government Intervention - 354 Chapter 19: Financial Developments, 1863-1919 - 372 Chapter 20: The Giant Economy and its International Relations - 392 Chapter 21: Labor and the Law - 409 Part 4: The Expansion of Federal Power, 1914-1945 - 425 Chapter 22: The Command Economy Emerges: World War I - 427 Chapter 23: "Normalcy": 1919-1929 - 440 Chapter 24: The Great Depression - 460 Chapter 25: The New Deal - 483 Chapter 26: The "Prosperity" of Wartime - 503 Part 5: Brave New World? 1945-Present - 519 Chapter 27: From World War II to the New Frontier - 521 Chapter 28: Labor and the Tertiary Sector - 535 Chapter 29: Industrial Developments - 557 Chapter 30: From the New Frontier to Reaganomics and Beyond: 1960-1995 - 581 Chapter 31: Does our Past have a Future? - 602 Glossary - 611 Credits - 616 Name Index - 618 Subject Index - 626 Jonathan Hughes, Louis P. Cain. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes.