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The Common School Movement
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The first McGuffey reader is published
The McGuffy readers were textbooks that stressed religious values and emphasized moral lessons which intended to develop students into good citizens. -
Horace Mann is appointed as Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education
As the "father of the common school", Horace Mann worked to increase funding for public schools and to attain better training for teachers. His strongest belief was that free, universal education should be available to all children in the United States. -
The first "Normal School" is opened in Lexington, Massachusetts
From creating standard curriculum to creating model classrooms where future teachers and administrators would play out potential scenarios, the Lexington Normal School essentially became the birthplace of American pedagogy. -
Massachusetts Creates the first mandatory attendance law
The 1852 law required every city and town to offer primary school, focusing on grammar and basic arithmetic. Parents who refused to send their children to school were fined and or even stripped of their parental rights, and their children apprenticed to others. -
Massachusetts passes the nation's first compulsory school attendance law
This law included mandatory attendance for children between the ages of eight and fourteen for at least three months out of each year, and of these twelve weeks at least six had to be consecutive. -
Ashman Institute is founded
"The first institution anywhere in the world to provide higher education in the arts and sciences for male youth of African decent" -
The National Teachers Association is founded
Forty three teachers in Philadelphia come together to form this united voice for public education. -
"The Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin is published
Charles Darwin's study explains his theory that animals have evolved to their current forms through the process of natural selection. This theory is still extremely controversial, as it challenges religious beliefs. Link text -
The Civil War begins
The United States separate and take sides and educational progress is put on hold until the war is over. -
The 13th Amendment is passed
Slavery is abolished with this new amendment to the constitution. -
The Civil War ends
With the end of the Civil War, many southern educational institutions are left in shambles, either closed during the war or in bad physical condition. Link text
