Colonial America, 1607-1783

 

All American
 

People Involved in Colonial Education

  • Elias Neau
  • Church of England’s Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
  • Ezkeial Cheever

Laws of Education during Colonial Era

1647: Old Deluder Satan Act involved school requirements.
1683: This law required children to have the ability to read and write.
1642: Laws of Northern Colonies involved attendance at schools.

Resources

Colonial America to 1763. This reference book contained a large amount of material concerning education during the colonial period. It mentioned Pre-Collegiate Education and the Collegiate Education. With both of these topics the first schools established and those people who helped make it possible were referred to. This reference book would be good for anyone to use when writing about colonial education. The information in this book was compiled by Thomas L. Purvis and Facts On File, Inc.

 

WWW. History Channel.com This website was a wonderful source for information on Colonial Education. On this website many facts about colonial education were mentioned. It spoke of laws that were formed and people who helped to form them. This would definitely be a recommended website for anyone studying colonial education.
© Marissa Cox 2002
mdc006@uncp.edu

Colonial Education as a Foundation for Education Today

By: Marissa Cox
Student, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, 2002

            To be a foundation something has to be a basis upon which something stands or is supported as stated on the Webster Website. After studying education during the Colonial Period it was easy to see that colonial education was a major axiom for education in today’s society. Due to the creation of laws and techniques, and prejudices being overcome; along with the support of several important figures colonial education was a base on which education stands today.

            During the colonial period, several laws were formed in order to benefit the educational aspect of life. One of the first laws established, as stated on the History Channel Website, was the Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647. This principle contained two extremely important requirements. First of all, all towns of at least fifty households were expected to hire a teacher of reading and writing. Secondly, if a town had one hundred or more households they had to establish and operate a grammar school. These aforementioned conditions were somewhat similar to today’s rules and regulations states have concerning the number of schools each county must have. Another law formed was The Law of 1683, as stated on the History Channel Website, requiring anyone having children under their guidance to ensure the ability of their child to read and write by the age of twelve. These children also had to be taught a useful trade. If these requirements were not met the guardians of the children were charged a five pound fine for each child that did not meet the set standards. Again, this law was similar to some of the laws our country has today. In many states children have no choice but to attend school until a certain age. A reader can easily see the influence this particular law had on society today. Finally, another important set of laws were those formed by the Northern Colonies. In 1642, as stated on the History Channel Website, if children did not attend school, mandatory apprenticeship was expected. Also, much like the Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647, one elementary school for towns of fifty families and one grammar school for towns of one hundred families had to be built. In order to make sure these expectations were met, state inspections were performed. Like state governments today schools are inspected and children are expected to attend school “faithfully” therefore it is easy to see the influence Colonial Education had on our education systems today.

            The creation of techniques throughout the colonial period also helped to shape education today. Most importantly books were invented. These educational books included information about George Washington and other statesmen, and ways to learn correct pronunciation and spelling. Some of the books created were among the New England Primer and Ezekial Cheever’s Accidence. As anyone can see the books during this era most definitely helped set the standards for textbooks today. Another method used for teaching was memorization, as stated in the book Colonial America to 1763. Everyday children were expected to “recite their own lessons at the masters desk” (241). By reciting their lessons daily the teachers saw that eventually the children would remember them. The textbook or notebook known as the Hornbook, as mentioned on the Gettysburg Education Website, was also used to teach ABC’s, syllabic processions, and it contained either the Lord’s Prayer or the benediction.

            One of the major basis of the Colonial Period was the slow overcoming of prejudice. For the longest time thousands of people were discriminated for their race, religion, or sex. During this era, people somewhat started to accept people of different ethnicity, race, and sex. Eventually girls were allowed to be educated in their homes to learn chores and reading skills. Some attended primary or dame schools where they were also taught to read. In some private schools girls were taught writing, geography, French and sometimes drawing, enameling, and fancy needlework. Another major movement to overcoming prejudice ways was the opening of schools for slaves. Religious groups such as the Church of England’s Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New York City was started by Elias Neau was opened to teach Indians, poor whites, and blacks. In this school, the students were mainly taught reading and writing. Like the schools mentioned previously, education institutions today are open to all people no matter what race, sex, or religious values one may have.

        Due to the many people and laws made, along with the inventions of books and schools during the colonial period, colonial education was and still is a foundation for education in today’s society.

 

Works Cited