History of the Stock Market in America
The history of the stock market stretches as far back as 1606. It was then that the first stock was issued for the Dutch company Vereignigte Oostindische Compaignie.
During that time business was focused mainly around shipping and the spice trade. At the end of the 18th century England with their Royal Navy dominated business and as such had the biggest stock exchanges in the world.
During his term 1789 to 1795 he promoted the stock market exchange in the US by encouraging trading of government debt on the corner of Wall Street and Broad Street. The exchange grew to incorporate stocks, and as trading grew so did the building.
The structure is now a 71 story tower known as Trump Building, after Donald Trump who bought it during 1996. Today visitors to New York, the heart of the American stock market will find a statue of Hamilton on Wall Street.
The concept of investment is simple; you buy a stock for cheap and sell it for more in the future. No other theory attempts this as much as value investing. In the early 20th century investors were guided by only speculation and insider information.