meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Ben Franklin's World

254 The Money Question in Early America

Ben Franklin's World

Liz Covart

Earlyrepublic, History, Benfranklin, Society & Culture, Warforindependence, Earlyamericanrepublic, Earlyamericanhistory, Education, Colonialamerica, Americanrevolution, Ushistory, Benjaminfranklin

4.61.5K Ratings

🗓️ 3 September 2019

⏱️ 53 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We read and hear a lot about money. We read and hear about fluctuations in the value of the Dollar, Pound, and Euro, interest rates and who can and can’t get access to credit, and we also read and hear about new virtual currencies like Bitcoin and Facebook’s Libra.

We talk a lot about money. But where did the idea of money come from?

Did early Americans think about money a lot too?

Jeffrey Sklansky is a Professor of History at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the author of Sovereign of the Market: The Money Question in Early America. Jeff is an expert in the intellectual and social history of capitalism in early America and he’s agreed to lead us on an investigation of the world of money in early America.

Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/254


Sponsor Links


Complementary Episodes

Listen!


Helpful Links


*Books purchased through the links on this post will help support the production of Ben Franklin's World.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Ben Franklin's world is a production of the

0:02.5

O'Mohandro Institute. Hello and welcome to episode 254 of Ben Franklin's world.

0:17.0

The podcast dedicated to helping you learn more about how the people and events of our early American past have shaped the present day world we live in.

0:25.0

And I'm your host, Liz Kovart.

0:28.0

Have you noticed that there's an awful lot of talk about money these days?

0:32.0

When we check into our favorite news outlets,

0:34.3

we read and hear a lot about fluctuations

0:36.4

in the value of the dollar, the pound, and the euro.

0:39.0

Or interest rates.

0:40.3

We hear a lot about interest rates

0:41.8

and who can and can't get access to credit.

0:44.0

And then there are these new virtual currencies we keep talking about, like Bitcoin or Facebook's Libra.

0:50.0

We talk a lot about money.

0:52.0

But where did the idea of money come from?

0:55.0

Did early Americans think and talk a lot about money too?

0:59.0

Jeffrey Skolanski is a professor of history at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

1:04.4

He's an expert in the intellectual and social history of capitalism in 18th and 19th century America,

1:10.0

which means Jeff knows a fair bit about money and how early Americans thought about it.

1:15.0

Now Jeff's specialized expertise is why he's going to lead us on an investigation of the world of money in early America.

1:21.0

And as we explore this fascinating world, Jeff reveals, how money came about in early

1:26.4

America, how English and British North Americans thought about money, and details about

1:31.8

the money question early Americans grappled with and how that money

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Liz Covart, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Liz Covart and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.