Assignment
Directions
The students will watch three videos from the PBS documentary "The Ascent of Money." Questions will be posted about each video to which students will respond to via a written assignment submitted to the instructor. The videos will help students develop an understanding of the role finance played and continues to play in shaping the world history and events.
As the world continues to struggle to find its footing amid rising unemployment, constricted credit, and crumbling banks and industries - raising questions about how the economic system collapsed - PBS presents Niall Ferguson's ASCENT OF MONEY. This ground-breaking four-part series examines the creation of the economic system by taking viewers on a global trek through the history of money. Watch Part 1 of the video and answer the following questions:
• How do credit and interest, in the form of a modern credit card, compare with the early forms of credit and interest you saw in the medieval Italian banks? What is the same? What is different?
• In order to give any kind of loan - be it a small business loan, credit card, home equity loan, etc. - the lender has to determine the borrower's ability to repay the loan, or creditworthiness. Throughout history, money-lenders and banks have established different criteria for determining a borrower's creditworthiness. Can you come up with some examples of what criteria you think medieval banks would have used to establish creditworthiness.
Video:
Ferguson, N. (2009). The ascent of money [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1sjFHEl5GI
I have included below a marking guide for this so that it is clear what I am looking for. This is not a formal APA format essay, but I do expect it to be written in an essay format with citations as necessary. I also want you to make clear to me that you have watched the video....... Marks will reflect whether you made it clear that you had watched the video and used it as the basis to answer the questions. You will include additional research material to add to Ferguson's analysis.
Generally, I expect an essay for this assignment reflecting on the conclusions of the video as the core of your answer.
Written Exercises:
The Written Exercise is a mini-essay (500 words max) and must be done in a, professional manner. The Written Exercise will be marked based on comprehensiveness, presentation quality, form and content.