Edward Potts Cheyney was an American historical and economic writer who spent over four decades teaching at the University of Pennsylvania. Born in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, Cheyney graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1883 before pursuing further studies abroad, visiting German universities and conducting research at the British Museum. He returned to his alma mater to teach, establishing a long academic career that spanned from 1890 until 1934.
Throughout his career, Cheyney made significant contributions to the study of history, particularly focusing on English social and industrial history. His scholarship earned him recognition within the academic community, including election to the American Philosophical Society in 1904 and an honorary LL.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1911. He also served as the editor of the American Historical Review and was elected president of the American Historical Society in 1923.
Cheyney was a prolific author whose writings were widely adopted as college textbooks. His notable publications include Social and Industrial History of England (1901), European Background of American History (1904), and his comprehensive two-volume work, A History of England, from the Defeat of the Armada to the Death of Elizabeth (1914). His work helped shape the teaching of English history in American higher education during the early twentieth century.
