The text guides the reader through various approaches to the analysis of the macro economy of the U.S., before presenting the data for several critical economic episodes, in order to discover which analytical method provides the best explanation for each event. It covers key background information on topics such as the basics of supply and demand, macroeconomic data, international trade and the balance of payments, and the creation of the money supply. This book also explores these topics through the lens of several different theories: Keynesian, Monetarist, real business cycle, supply side, and Austrian.