Noel D. Johnson

Noel D. Johnson

I’m a Professor of Economics at George Mason University. I’m also a Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center, a faculty member at the Center for the Study of Public Choice, and an Affiliate Member of the CESifo Research Network.

Economic History

Henry_VII_Juden

This is the webpage for the Spring 2020 iteration of Economic History (undergrad).

New material due to the Corona Virus shutdown is here:

Videos of Lectures are downloadable here. To view the lecture, click on the file and then click on the download button (above and to the right).

Or, you can click on the individual files below to view or download them from Dropbox.

Some Announcements

  • I have posted part one of the lecture for week 11 (Income Distribution and Wages) (EH_Lecture_11_pt1.mp4).

  • I have posted part two of the lecture for week 11 (Income Distribution and Wages) (EH_Lecture_11_pt2.mp4).

  • I have posted part three of the lecture for week 11 (Income Distribution and Wages) (EH_Lecture_11_pt3.mp4).

  • I have posted part one of the lecture for week 10 (Technology and the Industrial Revolution) (EH_Lecture10_part1.mp4).

  • I have posted part two of the lecture for week 10 (Technology and the Industrial Revolution) (EH_Lecture10_part2.mp4).

  • I have posted part three of the lecture for week 10 (Technology and the Industrial Revolution) (EH_Lecture10_part3.mp4).

  • I have posted part one of the lecture for week 9 (colonialism) (EH_Lecture9_part1.mp4).

  • I have posted part two of the lecture for week 9 (colonialism) (EH_Lecture9_part2.mp4).

  • I have posted part three of the lecture for week 9 (colonialism) (EH_Lecture9_part3.mp4).

  • I have posted part four of the lecture for week 9 (colonialism) (EH_Lecture9_part4.mp4).

  • I’ve made a video explaining exponential growth rates and pandemics. You can download or view it here. You should also check out this video and this one. Here’s a very useful webpage with up to date information on COVID-19.

  • I have posted part one of the lecture for week 8 (EH_wk8_pt1.mp4).

  • I have posted part two of the lecture for week 8 (EH_wk8_pt2.mp4).

  • I have posted part three of the lecture for week 8 (EH_wk8_pt3.mp4).

  • I’m now holding virtual office hours on Thursdays from 3:00 to 4:00. I sent you all an email on 3/26 with the link and password to join the office hours.

  • Here are the changes I’ve made to dates on the syllabus:
    • I have moved the midterm exam to April 8. It will be a take-home exam. I will distribute it by noon on April 8 and it will be due by midnight on April 10.
    • The last day of class for us is now May 6. I will send out a recurring Zoom invitation for the virtual class sessions.
    • These Zoom class sessions will be for you to ask questions about the lectures I post online. Please try and show up for the beginning of the virtual class session as I will close the session if there are no students around after 10 minutes or so.
    • The paper assignment is due by midnight on May 13.

  • I have posted the lecture for week 6 (EH_wk6.mp4).

  • I have posted part one of the lecture for week 7 (EH_wk7_pt1.mp4).

  • I have posted part two of the lecture for week 7 (EH_wk7_pt2.mp4).

  • I have elimated or made optional (starred) the following reading from the syllabus:
    • Ogilvie, S. and Carus, A. W. (2014). Institutions and economic growth in historical perspective. (starred)
    • Iyigun, M. (2008). Luther and suleyman. (starred)
    • Borner, L., Rubin, J., and Severgnini, B. (2019). A time to print, a time to reform (eliminated)
    • Blaydes, L. and Chaney, E. (2013). The feudal revolution and europe’s rise: Political divergence of the christian west and the muslim world before 1500 (eliminated)
    • Michalopoulos, S. and Papaioannou, E. (2016). The long-run e ects of the scramble for africa. (eliminated)

  • You can download the syllabus here.

  • You can download the course readings here.

  • You can download the course slides here.

  • A lot of the material for this course comes from Jared Rubin’s course at Chapman University.