The Cambrian Explosion: The Dawning of a New Era in Banking
The modern American banking industry has continued to evolve since the Civil War more than a century and a half ago. A survey of history reveals four periods in which the evolutionary forces in banking accelerated, each marking the start of a new era, starting with the Civil War, followed by the Great Depression, the twin energy and inflationary crises, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.