American Business History

Catalog description

This course examines major developments in the history of modern American business and industry from the colonial period to the present. History 155 introduces students to a number of the main themes, concepts, and events comprising American business history. Although the course has a pronounced big business/large corporation focus, it nonetheless provides a broader perspective than simply one of selected corporate histories. Indeed, the course treats the conduct of business as an integral element of American society and culture. Topics to be discussed include the colonial commitment to commerce, the effects of new technologies, the emergence of modern large-scale industrial production and the changes it brought to business management, and the importance of world events and American businesses.