The disposition of the estate of the merchant A. T. Stewart, and the interplay of personalities, social mores, and the changing structure of merchandising in America provide the focus for this fascinating and neglected story.

Merely by existing, the United States and the Western world as a whole bring to bear … a constant cultural pressure. But even though the idea of industrialization, expanded consumption, and political egalitarianism may pour forth equally for all … countries, what is absorbed varies widely from one to another. How and why and toward what ends each nation moves is conditioned by its own traditions and appreciations as well as by the historical course of its particular set of involvements with the industrially advanced nations.

The interrelationship of national security, the Atomic Energy Commission, government financial support, and the birth pangs of a new and growing industry with unusual competitive characteristics are examined in this article.

One of the most neglected aspects of the celebrated Teapot Dome investigation is the reaction of businessmen in general to these events. This article analyzes the views of the business community to Teapot Dome and reveals how various business interests reacted to the episode.