History of Gallaudet University and the Beginning of ASL

By cleavengercj
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    Deaf Americans

    In the early 1800's there were only a few deaf Americans.

  • History if ASL

    The history of ASL began with Dr. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. A minister from Hartford Connecticut, he was inspired by his neighbor's daughter who was deaf. His community raised money for him to travel to Europe to learn education methods for the deaf.

  • Establishment of the American School for the Deaf.

    Thomas Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc established the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut. It was the first free public deaf school in the U.S..

  • Thomas Gallaudet

    Thomas retired from the American School for the Deaf.

  • Laurent Clerc

    Laurent retired from the American School for the Deaf.

  • Death of Thomas Gallaudet

  • Edward Gallaudet

    Edward Gallaudet, Thomas's son was asked to be the superintendent of the Colombia Institution for the "Deaf and Dumb, and Blind, in Washington, D.C..

  • Deaf Schools in America

    22 Deaf schools had been established, most of which were founded by Clerc's students.

  • Columba Institute as a College

    Columbia Institute was permitted to issue college degrees.

  • Columbia Institute Renamed

    Columbia Institute was renamed Gallaudet College

  • Gallaudet College Renamed

    Gallaudet University