3 Chapter 3: The Foundations of Education in the United States
3 Chapter 3: The Foundations of Education in the United States
In order to understand our current educational practices, it is essential to look at the history of education in the United States. Therefore, this chapter will explore key events in the history of education and how these events impacted our present institutions, theories, and practices. After discussing key events in the history of education in the United States, a closer look at the “deculturalization” of specific groups will be explored.
Section I: history of education
3.1 Essential Questions
By the end of Section I, the following essential questions will be answered:
- What was education like in Colonial America?
- What were key influences on the way the educational system was set up in Colonial America?
- Who helped to shape the educational philosophy of American schools between the 1700’s and the 1800’s?
- What did the curriculum look like in the first American Schools and how has it changed?
The need for a society to educate its’ young is universal in all cultures. How we educate is the question. For it is from how education is delivered that ideologies are revealed. Who should be educated and at what level is generally decided by those in authority. Questions about what should be taught and why are examined by society as it seeks to shape and and determine its culture.
In this section, we will briefly overview the history of American Education. Key points that will be covered in this historical overview include:
- Education in Colonial America
- Types of Schools
- Educational Philosophies
- Curriculum Considerations
Knowing this history will provide you with a solid foundation upon which to base your understanding of the evolution of the American Educational system.
Education in colonial america
The first pilgrims settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. These pilgrims, a group of Separatist Puritans (or Protestants focused on purifying others as well as separating from the Church of England), were the first to establish a formal education system in Colonial America. Based on their Puritan views, the first schools established in Colonial America emphasized the religious beliefs of the Separatist Puritans. According to research by Johnson, Musial, Hall, and Gollnick (2011), the educational system in Colonial American was broken down into the following three colonies as the population grew:
- Southern Colonies: These colonies were made up of large tobacco plantations and utilized slaves from Africa to work on the plantations. The children of the wealthy landowners had private tutors to teach their children at home, and no education was provided to the children of the slaves. This ensured a level of knowledge and understanding for those who were destined for leadership in courts, politics, state government, and the church.
- Middle Colonies: The settlers in these colonies represented various nationalities (i.e., Dutch, Swedish) and religions (i.e., Puritan, Mennonite, and Cath