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The Boston Latin School was built in 1635 and was the first public school in America. It was located in Boston Massachusetts and was a boys only school. The English school taught Latin and Greek languages and focused on the humanities. It enrolled grades 7-12, became coeducational in 1972 and moved locations several times. Resource:
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/apr23/first-public-school-america/ -
John Locke's work introduced the idea concerning the foundation of human knowledge and understanding. It describes the human mind at birth as a blank slate, later being filled with experiences. This greatly influenced American education. Crash Course: Start at 2:50 min for John Locke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C-s4JrymKM Resources:
http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Essay_Concerning_Human_Understanding -
The first public supported library was built in Charles Town, South Carolina in 1698.
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Thomas Jefferson submitted a bill in 1778, which included a plan for the public education at primary and secondary levels. It supported that religion would be completely absent from the curriculum when it was prominent in teaching everywhere else. The Bill: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-02-02-0132-0004-0079 Resources:
http://candst.tripod.com/tnppage/jeffschl.htm -
Colonial America did not offer many schools for girls because they did not believe that girls could be educated farther than their basic reading, writing and math. In 1787, John Poor created the Young Ladies' Academy of Philadelphia. Five years later, the Young Ladies’ Academy became the first chartered institution for the higher education of young women in the US. Resources:
https://spierson61.wordpress.com/papers/edu-555-education-and-society/1700s-young-ladies-academy-of-philadelphia/ -
The state of Massachusetts passes a law requiring towns of more than 500 families to have a public high school open to all students. Resource:
http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html -
The National Teacher's Association, which is now the National Education Association, was founded by 43 educators in Philadelphia.
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Homer Plessy challenges the state of Louisiana's Separate Car Act, arguing that it violates the 13th and 14th Amendments. The US Supreme Court upholds the Louisiana law stating the intent of the 14th Amendment had not been intended to abolish distinctions based on color. The Supreme Court ruling makes separate but equal policies legal. It is used to justify many other segregation laws, including separate but equal education. Resources:
http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html -
The U.S. Supreme Court announces its decision in the case of Brown v. Board. of Education of Topeka, ruling that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal," thus overturning its previous ruling in the 1896 case of Plessy v. Ferguson. Brown vs. Board of Education Case Description:
https://nationalcenter.org/brown.html Resources:
http://www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html -
Students from across the nation protest gun violence, which marks the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting tragedy. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em59JOJsdyc
