Rise of the American Corporation
Robinson A248
History 615/History 711
W 7:20-10:00
Fall 2002
ppetrik@gmu.edu
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Office: 375C Robinson B
Office Telephone: 3-3491
Office Hours: TTH 1:30-2:30
and by appointment
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SCHEDULE
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Wednesday,
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August 28—Housekeeping & Introductions
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Wednesday,
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September 4—Reading:
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 Axtell, James,
“The First Consumer Revolution,” Chap. 5 in Beyond
1492: Encounters in Colonial North America
(New York: Oxford University Press), 125-51.
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Pauline Maier, “The
Revolutionary Origins of the American Corporation,” William
and Mary Quarterly 1993 50(1):
51-84 (JSTOR)
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“An Economic Interpretation
of The American Revolution,” Mark Egnal and Joseph Ernst (Whaples
& Betts)
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McGuire, Robert A. and
Ohsfeldt, Robert L., “Economic Interests and the American Constitution:
A Quantitative Rehabilitation Of Charles A. Beard,” Journal
of Economic History 1984 44(2):
509-519. (JSTOR)
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“The Market And Massachusetts Farmers 1750-1855,” Winifred Rothenberg (Whaples & Betts)
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Naomi R. Lamoreaux,
“Banks, Kinship, and Economic Development: The New England Case,” Journal
of Economic History, 1986 46(3): 647-667
(JSTOR)
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Wednesday,
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September 11—Reading
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Peter Temin, The
Jacksonian Economy
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“The Rise And
Fall of Indentured Servitude In The Americas: An Economic Analysis,”
David Galenson (Whaples & Betts)
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“The Anatomy of
Exploitation,” Robert Fogel and Stanley Engerman (Whaples &
Betts)
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“Slavery: The
Progressive Institution?” Paul David and Peter Temin (Whaples & Betts)
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“Explaining The
Relative Efficiency of Slave Agriculture in The Antebellum South,”
Robert Fogel and Stanley Engerman (Whaples & Betts)
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“The Trap Of Debt
Peonage,” Roger Ranso and Richard Sutch (Whaples & Betts)
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“The Economic
Revolution in the American South” Gavin Wright (Whaples &
Betts)
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Tuesday,
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December 11—FINAL PAPER DUE & SELF-EVALUATION DUE
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 COURSE
Because the field of business history is a broad one, the
course will concentrate on manufacturers, individuals and firms who made
things, and on the evolution of their particular entrepreneurial activity,
manufacturing and the marketing of their wares. (This does not mean, however,
that we will neglect general topics in economic history.) In this particular
iteration of the course, we’ll begin with a tour through the economic history
of the nation and finish by concentrating on two special topics: US v.
Microsoft and the rise and fall of the dot.coms. The 80s (the “greed is good”
decade) and 90s (the “if we build it, they will come” decade) also spawned a
number of “business” films, and we’ll take a look at business as popular
culture. This course, in short, is designed as an intensive reading and
thinking course to acquaint you with the major themes in the development of
corporate America. (A scholar once remarked, “A readings course is the
process of stuffing oneself on books until one is done up like a Thanksgiving
turkey.”) The turkey business aside, this is an “old timey” graduate seminar
in which the emphasis is on discussion and the exchange of ideas.
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POLICIES
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By the time an individual elects to pursue graduate work,
he or she is fairly serious about their studies and responsibilities.
Nonetheless, I am explaining and stating these policies now, in the clearest
possible terms, so there can be no dispute over what I expect. If you have
questions about my expectations, please raise them.
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Attendance
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Participants in a graduate seminar are expected to attend
class unless some dire emergency arises—something on the order of a cosmic
intervention. Because the class makes relatively few “writing” demands and
depends largely on class discussion, it is even more important that students
come to class prepared to enter into lively debate. In fact, failure to
attend class on many occasions will have grave consequences. A word to the
wise, in short, should be sufficient.
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