History of the Federal Reserve
How America’s Monetary System Was Built
The Federal Reserve is one of the most important—and misunderstood—institutions in the global financial system.
This playlist from the Fundamental Investing Institute provides a clear, chronological history of the Federal Reserve, from America’s early resistance to central banking to the creation of the modern Fed during the Great Depression.
Across 12 in-depth episodes, we explain how monetary institutions evolved, why crises kept occurring, and how today’s system was ultimately built—without politics, hype, or speculation.
Why the U.S. Created a Central Bank
In this first video of our History of the Federal Reserve series, we start at the beginning: What is a central bank, and why did the United States eventually create one?
The National Banking System
In this second video of our History of the Federal Reserve series, we examine the National Banking System that operated in the decades leading up to the Fed’s creation—and why it repeatedly failed during times of stress.
The Crises That Made Reform Inevitable
In this third video of our History of the Federal Reserve series, we examine the recurring banking crises that defined the National Banking System and ultimately made reform unavoidable.
The Panic of 1907
In this video, we examine the final and most consequential crisis of the National Banking System—the event that convinced policymakers the U.S. could no longer rely on ad-hoc solutions, private financiers, or improvised rescues.
The Birth of the Federal Reserve
In this video, we walk through how the United States actually built the Federal Reserve in the years following the Panic of 1907, and why earlier proposals failed politically before reform finally succeeded.
The Federal Reserve & World War I
In this video, we examine how the young Federal Reserve financed America’s involvement in World War I—and how that experience permanently changed U.S. monetary policy.
The 1920–1921 Recession
In this video, we examine the 1920–1921 recession and the Federal Reserve’s role in triggering a rapid and severe economic contraction after years of wartime inflation.
The 1920s Boom
In this video, we examine how the Federal Reserve operated during the 1920s, how policy coordination increased, and why decisions made during this boom laid the groundwork for instability by the end of the decade.
The 1929 Stock Market Crash
In this video, we examine how the structure of the 1920s stock market—and the Federal Reserve’s policy choices—turned a market correction into a systemic collapse.
How Bank Runs Broke the Financial System
In this video, we examine the wave of bank failures that swept across the United States between 1930 and 1933, and why the Federal Reserve struggled to stop them.
Roosevelt’s Gold Policy
In this video, we examine Roosevelt’s gold policy, why it was implemented, and how it fundamentally reshaped monetary power in the United States.
How the Modern Federal Reserve Was Created
In this video, we explain how the Great Depression reshaped the Federal Reserve, transforming it from a fragmented system of regional banks into a centralized institution capable of setting national monetary policy.