Economics (Economic History) OpenCourseWare: A Free Bachelor Level Economic History Course by UC Berkeley
'American Economic History' is a free undergraduate OpenCourseWare offered by UC Berkeley that provides students with a broad overview of the economic history of America, from pre-colonial times to the beginning of the 21st century. Economics students, business professionals, and those interested in the economic history of America will find this course to be of much value.
American Economic History: Course Specifics
Degree Level | Free | Audio | Video | Downloads |
---|---|---|---|---|
Undergraduate | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Lectures/Notes | Study Materials | Tests/Quizzes |
---|---|---|
Yes | No | No |
American Economic History: Course Description
This OpenCourseWare is an undergraduate course that presents a view of the American economy from a historical perspective. The course consists of 26 audio lectures that are each about 90 minutes long. The course traces the economic history of America, beginning with the Indians and settlers and continuing through the centuries to modern times. While an overview of early American economic history is provided, the main emphasis of the course is the major economic events and trends of 19th and 20th centuries. Slavery and its legacy as well as unions and the economic plight of minorities and immigrants play a large role in the material presented in this course. Some of the webcasts are of poor sound quality or missing portions due to technical problems. The course is audio lecture-based and is partially taught by Professor Brad Delong who is the chair of the economics department. A recommended text--The American Economy in Historical Perspective (Walton & Rockhoff)--is not available online. Students who do procure the text will get the most out of the free class.
Audio files of each lecture are available for download. If you're interested in taking this free course, visit the economic history course page.