A Brief Finance and Economic History Timeline

Economic History Timeline

Explore key events that shaped our modern economy through this timeline

1202

Liber Abaci

Fibonacci popularizes Hindu–Arabic numerals in Europe, enabling modern accounting.

1602

Amsterdam Stock Exchange

VOC shares trade on one of the first organized stock exchanges.

1637

Tulip Mania

Classic early asset bubble and crash in the Dutch Republic.

1694

Bank of England Founded

Prototype for modern central banking; lender to the Crown.

1720

South Sea Bubble

Joint‑stock frenzy in Britain ends in a dramatic crash and reforms.

1776

Wealth of Nations

Adam Smith outlines markets, incentives, and division of labor.

1792

Buttonwood Agreement

Twenty‑four brokers form what becomes the New York Stock Exchange.

1862

US Greenbacks

Paper currency issued to finance the Civil War; fiat money takes hold.

1867

Das Kapital

Karl Marx publishes Volume I, shaping political economy debates.

1873

Long Depression

Global downturn with financial panics and prolonged deflation.

1907

Panic of 1907

US banking panic catalyzes support for a central bank.

1913

Federal Reserve Act

Establishes the Federal Reserve System.

1929

The Great Depression

Stock market crash leads to the worst economic downturn in modern history.

1933

Glass‑Steagall Act

Separates commercial and investment banking; FDIC created.

1944

Bretton Woods Agreement

International monetary system; USD‑gold link; IMF and World Bank.

1971

Nixon Shock

Ends dollar convertibility to gold; fiat era and floating FX begin.

1973

Oil Shock

OPEC embargo triggers stagflation across many economies.

1979

Volcker Disinflation

Fed hikes rates sharply to break inflation expectations.

1987

Black Monday

Global stock markets plunge; circuit breakers later introduced.

1980s

Reaganomics

Supply‑side tax cuts and deregulation reshape US policy.

1997

Asian Financial Crisis

Currency pegs break; deep recessions across Asia.

1998

LTCM Collapse

Hedge fund failure prompts coordinated private rescue.

1999

Euro Introduced

Common currency launched for EU members (book money).

1999

Glass‑Steagall Repeal

Barriers between commercial and investment banking removed.

2000

Dot‑com Bust

Tech bubble bursts; capital shifts and policy easing follow.

2001

China Joins WTO

Global supply chains accelerate; disinflationary trade shock.

2002

Euro Cash

Euro banknotes and coins enter circulation.

2007

Subprime Crisis

US mortgage losses surface; liquidity strains emerge.

2008

Global Financial Crisis

Lehman failure; systemic panic; QE and bailouts.

2009

Bitcoin Genesis

First block mined; decentralized digital money experiment.

2010

Dodd‑Frank

US financial reform: stress tests, resolution, derivatives rules.

2012

ECB “Whatever It Takes”

OMT backstop calms sovereign debt crisis.

2015

Negative Rates

NIRP spreads across parts of Europe and Japan.

2016

Brexit Vote

UK votes to leave the EU; prolonged transition follows.

2018

Trade Tensions

Tariffs and supply‑chain re‑routing reshape global flows.

2020

COVID‑19 Economic Impact

Global pandemic causes unprecedented disruption and policy response.

2021

Inflation Surge

Demand snapback and supply frictions lift prices globally.

2022

Rapid Rate Hikes

Global tightening cycle aimed at restoring price stability.

2023

Bank Failures & BTFP

US regional bank stresses; new liquidity facilities deployed.

2024

AI Productivity Debate

Policy and investment focus on AI’s long‑run economic impact.

2025

Soft‑Landing Debate

Disinflation continues while markets weigh timing of rate cuts.