American Economic History

Abstract

Rich in quantitative techniques and economic theory, American Economic History demonstrates how understanding our past illuminates today’s economic issues. With engaging language, this text walks readers through four centuries of political, social, and economic history, focusing on laws and institutions while emphasizing current economic topics. Adopting an analytical approach, the ninth edition has been heavily updated to incorporate new literature and reflect modern economic historians’ tools and methodologies. Coverage of slavery, population growth, migration, the Great Depression, the New Deal, wartime prosperity, and the new millennium has been expanded and revised. A new chapter examines the Great Recession and its aftermath. The book also includes a discussion of econometrics and causal inference, which has become a critical tool in the toolbox of economic historians. Teaching support includes instructor resources, such as PowerPoint slides, a test bank, and a range of cases, providing students with the opportunity to work with real data. Using minimal math and assuming little previous background in economics or history, this classic text suits all study levels. Bridging historical analysis with contemporary economic understanding, it simplifies complex concepts, making them accessible to everyone – from first‑year students all the way through to economics majors.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source., 2026 · DOI ↗