Credit Cards As We Know Them: Since 1887 By: Dawn Handschuh | Jan 14th 2009 - Once upon a time, people lived in a world without credit cards. Personal credit was extended based on a handshake and a man's word. Beyond that, people bartered for what they wanted, visited a pawnbroker,
saved for a purchase or did without. Thrift and commonsense prevailed. And everyone lived happily ever after. Tags:credit cards, credit history, credit industry, credit system, credit economy