Time-line of American Education

  • Period: to

    The American Colonial Period

    Male teachers and religious leaders had better education than most still, teachers were ranked just below the religious leaders for teaching simple classes like reading, writing, math, and religion.
  • Education In the New England Colonies

    Education In the New England Colonies
    Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island were known as Puritans. This religious group believed in the impact of religious education and reading the Bible. Education was a way to protect their beliefs and culture.
  • Universities and Colleges

    Universities and Colleges
    A few universities and colleges such as Harvard and William & Mary were founded during this time. A small number of students could actually attend the schools.
  • Apprentice

    An apprentice helps and watches their mentor who is skilled in a particular skill so the apprentice can learn a certain trade from an expert.
  • Education in the Middle Atlantic States

    Education in the Middle Atlantic States
    New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware had a diverse learning background. Quakers were the main religion found in England as they settled in Philadelphia. The middle colonies believed that everyone should be educated with their own religious belief.
  • Ben Franklin

    Ben Franklin
    Ben Franklin helped expand schools in Philadelphia for those who could afford to attend.
  • Education in the Southern Colonies

    Education in the Southern Colonies
    In Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia there were not many schools due to the government not enforcing schooling. Dame schools were used instead so women could teach the students in their homes.
  • Thomas Jefferson

    Thomas Jefferson
    Thomas Jefferson introduced legislation into smaller school districts. Jefferson made sure elementary schools were free of cost. If those in lower classes were educated the democratic government would thrive.
  • Period: to

    The American Early National Period

    A rural nation where most kids grew up on farms or small towns before education grew into the cities. Schools were used to make society better by focusing more on education rather than religion.
  • Kindergarten

    Kindergarten
    The emergence of kindergarten is from Friedrich Froebel, a German educator that developed the idea for kindergarten. Friedrich Froebel believed that young children learned best through play. Although his ideas were not widely adopted in Germany, American educators were interested in the concept.
  • Period: to

    The American Common School Period

    Most American children did not have access to proficient schools or any schooling at all. At the end of the period, free education was provided throughout more states due to the influence of Horace Mann.
  • Horace Mann

    Horace Mann
    Horace Mann worked to supply schools with free, public education for every child in Massachusetts. Mann’s impact was present in education nationally by creating common and normal schools.
  • Morrill Act

    In 1862, the Morrill Act, also known as the Land- Grant College Act, gave federal land to establish colleges in every state to provide education in agricultural, home economics, and other useful jobs.
  • African Americans

    Many African-Americans had to learn in secret due to the South banning their race from learning. This caused many social and economic challenges, luckily a few Quaker schools allowed African-Americans to attend their schools.
  • Career and Technical Education

    Career and Technical Education prepares students for the vast career opportunities by learning certain trade skills for their future.
  • Period: to

    The American Progressive Period

    This was a period of complex economic, technological, and social change all around the world. By 1920, all states had children attending elementary school by law.
  • John Dewey

    John Dewey
    John Dewey helped classrooms adapt to the needs, interests, and abilities of individual students. Dewey’s belief that classrooms were too rigid and inflexible helped change the learning environment for students everywhere.
  • Maria Montessori

    Maria Montessori
    Maria Montessori's role during this time was to find ways to help children who had difficulty learning. Montessori believed that sensory learning is a big part of understanding how to read and write.
  • Period: to

    The 1920's and the Great Depression Era

    Due to the effect of the war many schools did not have a lot of cash on hand. Many schools could not operate under these bad conditions and had to shut down. Other schools adjusted by making shorter school years or cutting teachers.
  • Dick and Jane

    Dick and Jane
    Dick and Jane books were used to teach basic reading skills with simple stories about families.