In simple, elegant language, Hughes and Cain walk students through four centuries of political, social, and economic history, with a focus on laws and institutions and an emphasis on current economic topics that reflects the latest scholarship. 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.
American Economic History, Seventh Edition, integrates the latest scholarly research and data with the most important lessons from four centuries of economic, political, and social developments in U.S. history. Hughes and Cain take a chronological approach to the course and leave students with a clear understanding of how economic history can inform issues facing our society today.
“This is an excellent introductory textbook that is suitable for students with minimal background in economics. It is especially strong in the coverage of the evolution of the American legal system, from the English heritage through the new ‘quality of life regulations’ of the 1960s.”
― Tom Geraghty, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
“A great feature of this text is that it is fun to read. The story of American economic history is well told here!”
― Simone Wegge, College of Staten Island
Features of the
Seventh Edition - Extensive data update, incorporating the most recent release of Historical Statistics of the United States
- New coverage of prohibition and its effects on the economy in the early 20th century
- Inclusion of the latest research, such as the contention that the 1930s were the most productive decade for the U.S., and a comparison of the 1920s and 1990s
- New coverage of the Employment Act of 1946, the early emergence of American industry and production, and the antebellum puzzle
