9781422274040

government sought ways to unify the country and create a common American culture. Education became part of the plan to create a sense of community. Schools throughout the new United States began used new textbooks that created a new standard of spelling and implement- ed notions of patriotism and religion. Still, most school students came from wealthier families. In fact, many educational opportunities were avail- able only to those of up- per-class standing at this time. It was not until the mid-1800s that stronger

Reforms proposed and implemented by Horace Mann (1796–1859) changed the way that public education was provided in the United States.

calls for free, compulsory education began. Many reasons existed for this change. During the nineteenth century the US economy moved from largely agricultural to highly in- dustrialized. There was a growing need for men and women who could read, write, and perform math. And with waves of immigrants coming from Europe, the government also

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Contemporary Issues: Education