Harvard. Economic History to 1450. Readings and paper topics, Usher. 1934

 

What is nice about this particular economic history reading list is that it is not an extended bibliography but actually quite limited and specific, thereby giving us a better sense of the actual course content. The reading list had 1933-34 crossed out in the heading and 1934-35 penciled in. Note as of 1933-34, the Harvard course numbering was changed from Economics 23 to Economics 21.

_________________

Course Enrollment

[Economics] 21 ¹hf. Associate Professor Usher.—Economic History to 1450.

Total 4:  2 Gr., 2 Se.

Source:Harvard University. Annual Report of the President of Harvard College for 1934-1935, p. 82.

_________________

Course Description [1932-33]

[Economics] 23 ¹hf. Economic History to 1450
Half-course (first half-year). Two hours each week, to be arranged. Associate Professor Usher.

The purpose of the course is to afford opportunity for careful study of the more important episodes in the period under survey. Attention will be concentrated upon the following problems: the economic aspects of the period extending from the accession of Constantine to the death of Charlemagne; the economic institutions and social conditions in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, with emphasis upon Italy and France.

 

Source:  Division of History, Government, and Economics 1932-33in Official Register of Harvard University,Vol. 29, No. 32 (June 27, 1932) p. 78.

_________________

Economics 21.
1934-35

Required reading.

1. The early Christian period, to be completed Oct 27.

Usher, A. P. History of population and settlement in Eurasia, Geographical Review, vol. XX, pp. 110-132.
Usher, A.P. Industrial History of England, pp. 1-52.
Usher, A. P. History of Mechanical Inventions, pp. 1-31, 66-120.
Pirenne, H. Medieval Cities, pp. 1-108.
Poissonade, P. Life and labour in medieval Europe, pp. 1-61, 102-118.
Lewinsky, The origin of property in land, pp. 1-71.

 

2. The middle ages, to be completed Dec. 22

Boissonade, P. Life and labour in medieval Europe, pp. 132-149, 159-225, 239-263, 286-315.
Vinogradoff, P., Villeinage in England, pp. 43-88, 223-277.
Pirenne, H. Belgian democracy and its early history, pp. 1-54, 76-107.
Usher, A.P. Industrial history of England, pp. 52-86, 165-191.
Usher, A.P. History of mechanical inventions, pp. 121-200.
Gras, N.S.B. Evolution of the English Corn Market, pp. 3-64.
Thompson, J.W. The Economic and Social History of the Middle Ages, pp. 565-602.
Power, E. and Postan, M.M. English trade in the fifteenth century, pp. 247-292.
Thompson, J.W. The Economic History of the Later Middle Ages, pp. 431-461.
Holdsworth, W.S. History of English Law, vol. VIII, pp. 99-205, 222-229.
Usher, A.P. Deposit banking in Barcelona, Journal of Economic and Business History, vol. IV. pp. 121-155.
[in pencil added “or Usher. Origins of Banking: the primitive bank of deposit” (1200-1600)]

 

Reading period.

Two hundred pages from any title not used by the student for the essay.

Dill, S. Roman society in the last century of the western Empire.
Dill, S. Roman society in Gaul in the Merovingian period.
Rostovtzeff, M. Social and economic history of the Roman Empire.
Yule, H. Cathay and the way thither.
Vinogradoff, P, The growth of the Manor.
Unwin, G. The gilds and companies of London.
Anderson, Romola C. The sailing ship.
Burns, A.R. Money and monetary policy in early times.

 

Economics 21
Topics for Essays

An essay of about 2000 words will be due Dec 22 on one of the following topics, or by special arrangement upon some subject suggested by the student. (About 300 pages of reading is assumed.)

1. The development of the colonate under the Roman Empire

Pelham, H.F. The imperial domains and the colonate.
Gras, N.S.B. A history of agriculture.
Clausing, R. The Roman colonate.
Rostovstzeff, M. Studien zur Geschichte des Römischen Kolonates.

2. Ausonius and Gregory of Tours: a study of the intellectual life of the late Empire and the Frankish kingdom.

Dalton, Gregory of Tours.
Brehaut, E. Gregory of Tour’s History of the Franks.
Byrne, M.A. Prolegomena to an edition of the works of Ausonius.
White, H.C.E. Ausonius.

3. Magnates and common people.

Carlyle, T. Past and Present.
The Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelonde.
Hone, N.J. The Manor and manorial records.

4. The origin of property in land.

Lapsley, G.T. The origin of property in land, American Historical Review, VIII, p. 426.
Maine, H. Sumner. Village communities in the East and West.
Vinogradoff, P. The growth of the Manor.

5. The commerce of Genoa.

Byrne, E.H. Genoese shipping.
_________. Genoese trade with Syria, American Historical Review, XXV, p. 191.
_________. Commercial contracts of Genoese in Syrian trade, Quarterly Journal of Economics, XXXI, p. 128.
Finot, J. Étude historique sur les relations commerciales entre la Flandre et la république de Gênes au moyen âge.
Bent, G.T. Genoa.

6. Moslem geography and travel from the ninth to the fourteenth centuries.

Wright, J.K. Geographical lore of the time of the Crusades.
Schoy, C. The geography of the Moslems of the middle ages, Geographical Review, XIV, pp. 257-269.
Le Strange, G. Lands of the Eastern Caliphate.
Barbier de Meynard, C. Le Livre des routes et provinces, Journal Asiatique, 1865, pp. 227-295.
Defremery, C. et Sanguinetti, B.R. Les voyages de Ibn Battûta.

7. The industries and gilds of Florence.

Renard, G. Histoire du travail à Florence.
Doren, A. Entwickelung und Organisation der Florentiner Zünfte im 13. und 14. Jahrhunderts.

8. The industries and gilds of Douai.

Espinas, G. La vie urbaine de Douai au moyen âge.

9. The fairs of Champagne and Brie.

Huvelin, P. Essai historique sur les droits des marchés et des foires.
Alengry, C. Les foires de Champagne.
Basserman, Elisabeth. Die Champagner Messen.
Bourquelot, F. Études sur les foires de Champagne, Memoire de l’Académie des Inscriptions et de Belles-Lettres. Paris, 1865.

10. The English wool trade and its organization.

Power, E. and Postan, M.M. English trade in the 15^thcentury.
Jenckes, A.L. The origin, the location and the organization of the staples of England.

11. European travellers to the Middle and Far East in the 12^thand 13^thcenturies.

Marco Polo. Travels.
Yule, H. Cathay and the way thither.

12. Earlier history of the Worshipful Company of the Drapers of London.

Johnson, A.H. The history of the Worshipful Company of the Drapers of London.

 

Source:   Harvard University Archives. Syllabi, course outlines and reading lists in Economics, 1895-2003.(HUC 8522.2.1) Box 2, Folder “Economics, 1934-35”.

Image Source:  A. P. Usher in Harvard Class Album 1934.