Brief History of the Savings Bonds Program
Since 1935, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation creating the first "baby bond," United States Savings Bonds have encouraged saving and a broad participation by Americans in government financing.
From the Series E bond, that contributed billions of dollars to World War II financing, to today's electronic EE and I bonds, the Savings Bond Program has a rich history of changing to meet the needs of the American investor. In the early years, savings bonds were a significant contributor to debt financing, and today they continue to be an important savings and investment tool for individuals.
Read about the various stages of the program by selecting the links below:
- The Beginnings of Savings Bonds
- The Volunteer Program and Series E Savings Bonds
- Other Savings Bonds
- The Payroll Savings Plan
- Over the Counter Sales
- Savings Bonds Today
Other Resources
If you want more background on the history of savings bonds, look at these added resources:
- A History of the United States Savings Bonds Program, 50th Anniversary Edition, published January 1991 (PDF format, 8 MB)
- Uncle Sam Speaks - Video Clips Promoting Savings Bonds (Windows Media Player format, 7.9 MB, Flash format, 12.7 MB)