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The puritans rejected Catholic and Anglican religious practices, and instead believed that each person had a personal relationship with God. Religion was at the center of education. Students were expected to be able to read and interpret the Bible.
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North America was a vast wilderness that was inhabited by Native Americans. It was a new world to colonists. The most basic and profound lessons taught by the experience of the colonial settlement was that Europeans saw Native Americans as inferior people.
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Climate and terrain dictated how people lived in worked depending on the region they lived in. The south set the tone for educational practices even though they were the minority at the time.
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Towns of 50 or more had to establish a school. School had to maintain the traditional Puritan values of religion.
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Some learned from their parents and churches they attended due to traveling around or not living in a town. Their education was brought through these areas.
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Children went to school to primarily read for religious purposes. Reading and writing skills became very important for essential commerce tasks.
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Colonists established schools for themselves, while missionaries took the opportunity to establish schools for non whites. More whites were being educated than non whites.
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Education became essential because voters needed to be educated. Universal free education became a term.
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Most schools were small and followed religious practices. The Declaration of Independence changed education.
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Women were expected to rely on their husbands for guidance. Women could attend summer sessions.
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The value of land started increasing and population growth exploded. This required more students to be educated.