Colonial Education Vs American Education Essay

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Throughout the specific era of the Colonial Period (1600-1776), educational practices differed greatly amongst the Southern, Middle, and New England Colonies. The educational customs fluctuated due to the effects of philosophy and religious beliefs in the specific area and time period. The individual roles of each the parent, school, and church determined how the school system and educational practices would coincide together as a whole. Their influence during the Great Awakening, determined the structure and strategies that are used today in the American education system. In the Southern Colonies, the residents that inhabited the particular landform mostly consisted of the English from plantations. Few others that settled in the area were the Presbyterian Scotts in which they …show more content…

The families in charge of the farming prominently grew rice, tobacco, and indigo, which was a large base for income and wealth. Due to the large farming community-based in the southern states, many families implemented African slaves on the plantation to supplement labor in order to provide food and income during many socioeconomic difficulties. Because of the large farming land, many of the English's homes were dispersed throughout the southern area and were not commonly found within communities or suburbs. Therefore, providing education for their children was difficult. Many households, due to the extra income from the crops, were often able to hire teachers to provide education for the children. Even if a hired position was not affordable, many parents educated their children at home – similar to the idea of homeschooling in today's American society. The idea of homeschooling the children developed due to the isolation of families from a community setting and the strict detachment of the Anglican church and involvement with schooling and