1619 Project Lesson Plan

What were some consequences of the Civil War on the nation’s laws around business?

Students will likely look to Mehrsa Baradaran’s short essays for the answers to this question. One potential answer is that because of the dual banking system, banks were free to make decisions that ultimately contributed to the 2008 recession. The dual banking system, which was created during the Civil War, prevents national regulation to prevent banks like the Wachovia Bank from issuing sub-prime loans in low-income neighborhoods. The cotton industry not only became a crucial part of the nation’s economy but also established business practices that have persisted, like the “mutual mistake...