This shows the CPI from 1665 to 2005. You can view the link here if you have IE, if you are using Firefox (and you should be!) you are just gonna have to open IE. Sorry, it cant be helped. What you will see is a graph of the CPI, or Consumer Price Index, from 1665 to 2005. Note how in 1913, 1933 and 1973 is where the spikes begin.
What happened?
1913 = Creation of the Fed. Still on Gold Standard
1933 = Gold outlawed by Citizens. Dollar still attached to Gold, value is floating
1973 = Completely off Gold standard. Value of dollar not tied to anything.
The fun thing to remember is that the CPI #s are cooked and have been for many years now. If the true CPI (TCPI) values were used then the graph would be even steeper.
The research is by Oregon State