In a previous post I transcribed the final exam questions for Francis Bowen’s senior year course “Political Economy” at Harvard, 1868-69. In that post you will also find biographical information.
In the following year, 1869-70, “Political Economy” was offered to seniors in the first term (Bowen’s text-book). It was also taught (with a different text-book: Rogers) in the second term of the junior year.
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From the Annual Report of the President of Harvard College, 1869-70
[There are four subjects and four instructors listed for the required subjects for second term Juniors in 1869-70 according to the annual report of the president of Harvard College.]
| Required Studies. | Text-books | Number of students | Number of Sections | Number of Exercises per Week | Number of Hours per Week | |
| Instructors. | Subjects. | |||||
| Mr. O. W. Holmes, Jr. | Constitutional Law | Alden’s Science of Government |
158 |
4 | 1 |
4 |
| Mr. N. St. J. Green | Philosophy | Hamilton’s Metaphysics; Rogers’s Political Economy |
158 |
3 | 3 |
9 |
| Prof. Bowen | Forensics (four) |
158 |
||||
| Prof. Lovering | Physics | Lectures |
158 |
2 | 1 |
2 |
Textbook: James E. Thorold Rogers, A Manual of Political Economy for Schools and Colleges. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1868.
Source: Harvard University. Annual Report of the President of Harvard University, 1869-1870, p. 38.
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POLITICAL ECONOMY
- Is a hard bargain, voluntarily entered into, an advantage to both parties, or a disadvantage to one? Why, and how?
- What is the cause of value? What is the measure of value?
- What is Capital? Profit? Wages? Rent?
- What are the causes which determine the Wages of Labor?
- What is the effect of laws regulating the rate of Interest? How do they produce that effect?
- What is meant by Demand and Supply? Give an illustration of the price of an article being affected by Demand. Give one of its being affected by Supply.
- Is Capital equally distributed to all kinds of Labor? If it is, why is it? If it is not, why is it not?
- What are the proper functions of Government?
- What are the general principles of Taxation?
- Why are the Precious Metals used as Money? How are they distributed?
Jun. Ann. June, 1870.
Source: Harvard University Archives. Harvard University. Final Examinations 1853-2001. Box 1, Folder “Final examinations, 1869-1870”.
Image Source: Portrait of Francis Bowen from the Harvard Square Library (Unitarian Universalism). The Harvard Book: Portraits.