Please allow me to introduce myself.  Ed Slattery at Alabama State 
University.  I am one of those individuals with little knowledge of money 
and banking in the US and otherwise.  Could you give me some 
references, relatively casual reading to start, on how early banks 
actually operated.  What were their functions and how did they perform 
them.  Whom did they benefit/harm? 
Thanks,  ED 
 
PS- I'm also new on this network/bulletin board stuff.  Forgive my naivete 
with regard to its functioning.  I'm not even sure who is going to get this 
message.