The cryptocurrency Bitcoin has been prominently featured in the news recently. Its ascension in value has been nothing short of extraordinary. This article briefly explains what Bitcoin is and how it works. The more challenging question is what Bitcoin--this cryptographic breakthrough--really is: currency, like the U.S. dollar, an asset, more like…

The Federal Reserve System (the Fed) is one of the most important financial institutions in the world. As the central bank of the United States, it influences the domestic money supply, credit, and interest rates with the goal of achieving stable prices and full employment for the world's largest economy. It provides a variety of services to…

The Federal Reserve System is the central bank of the United States. The system includes 12 Federal Reserve Banks (and their associated branches) located throughout the country, with oversight by the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C. The diverse structure is designed to ensure that the interests of Main Street are represented along with those…

Introducing students to continental currency may well encourage their interest in the economic context of the Constitution and their understanding of a wide range of economic concepts. This brief article describes a lesson to familiarize students with continental currency and its relationship to Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution and the…

Debates over how to promote a healthy economy are pervasive once more, after decades when it seemed such debates had been put to rest. The market meltdown of 2008 ended a long string of years in which monetary policy reigned supreme. Monetary policy is the regulation of money and the banking system to influence economic variables. Its adherents,…

Economists and historians have struggled for almost 80 years to account for the American Great Depression, which began in 1929 and lasted until the early years of World War II. In this article, the authors discuss three major schools of thought on the causes of the Great Depression and the long failure of the American economy to return to full…

Reviews progress toward economic integration and monetary union within the European Economic Community. Maintains that Germany has the greatest influence on the system because of its strong currency and monetary policies. Concludes that a "two-speed" course toward economic union may be the only practical path. (CFR)

Provided is an annotated listing of sound filmstrip programs and 16mm films for teaching social studies at the intermediate and secondary levels. Specific topics include money; interest rates; disarmament; and the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the US government. (RM)

Asserts that, although teachers and history textbooks mention banks and money at several points in a typical U.S. history course, they are not accorded their proper significance. Discusses the role of banks and finance in U.S. history, with specific emphasis on the creation and impact of the Federal Reserve System. (CFR)