What are banks for?

1. Summarize In the debate over banking after the American Revolution, what did the Federalists advocate?

2. Draw Inferences Why was the period between 1837 and 1863 known as the Free Banking or "Wildcat" Era?

5. Draw Inferences What benefits did the gold standard provide the nation?

6. Summarize How did the Federal Reserve help to stabilize the economic and banking systems in the United States?

7. Analyze Interactions Among Events Why was the federal banking system created by the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 unable to prevent the Great Depression?

8. Vocabulary: Use Context Clues According to the Lesson, a financial "meltdown" began in 2006. What do you think is meant by meltdown?

B. PBS: The Causes of the 2008 Financial Crisis

1. What makes some loans "riskier" than others?

2. Why would anyone make a risky loan?

3. What are the possible payoffs?

4. What are the possible drawbacks?

5. Is there any investment that one can make that is "risk free?"