Differences in Colonies-
a. Southern colonies
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Life in Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia revolved largely around agriculture, much of which was done on plantations owned by wealthy landlords. These plantations were worked by African slaves and indentured servants Other regional agriculture was done by poor white settlers on small land plots. This meant that there was a large income gap and formal education was a luxury that many could not afford. For those that could afford education, a tutor was often hired to live on a plantation to teach the family's children or a several families' children. Larger cities, such as Williamsburg and Charleston, also had boarding schools and private schools sponsored by the Church of England. England's tradition of education only for the wealthy translated easily from Europe over to the Southern colonies.
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-Southern colonies: Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia
-Life revolved around agriculture
-Agriculture done on plantations
-Plantations worked by African slaves and indentured servants
-Other agricultural work done by poor white settlers on marginal land
-Plantation landlords and the wealthy were the only ones that could afford formal education
-Tutors were hired to live on a family's plantation to tutor their children
-Families would often pool their money to hire a tutor to teach a group of their children
-English tradition of education for the wealthy translated easily over to the Southern colonies
b. The Middle Colonies
- New York, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
- More diverse than southern colonies in that there are groups of other cultures in the states.
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- Dutch, Swedes, and Germans, all brought their cultures over as well as their diverse religious beliefs; Dutch Reformists, Quakers, Lutherans, Baptists, Roman Catholics, and Jews.
-Because Colonial America is so religiously diverse, it was difficult to cater schools to satisfy everyone.
With this dilemma, families in the middle colonies created *parochial school that covered religious education as well as the "three R's". They also learned their cultural history and language in the New World.
c. The New England Colonies:
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- Where we received the sayings:
1.) “Idle minds are the Devil’s workshop” and
2.) “Spare the rod and spoil the child”
3.) The three R’s – Reading, writing, arithmetic
- Consisted of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire
- 2 major ways in which The New England colonies differ from the other colonies:
1.) Religiously and culturally homogeneous
2.) People were grouped together into towns
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- One example was the Puritans:
Settled in Massachusetts
Followed John Calvin
Religion was huge in their life
Settled in America because they disagreed with the Church of England.
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- Some of their beliefs in regards to education were:
1.) People were inherently evil
2.) Children were savages
3.) Corporal punishment
4.) Education helps people learn the commandments and become industrious, righteous, and thrifty
- The Puritan’s school was shaped by their beliefs:
1.) Religion was a major factor in regard to the curriculum
2.) 4 R’s (which now included religion)
3.) Instruction was based on recitation and memorization
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Read the same books they read!!
Old Deluder Satan Act:
- Called the Massachusetts Act of 1647
- Came about because of “educational landscape” and to make sure citizens were “scripture literate...who would thwart Satan’s trickery” (165).
- One of the requirements was that if a household held 50+, they had to have a teacher for writing and reading.
- This is such an important act because if provided education with a “legal foundation for public support” (165).
- This act also proved that public schooling enhanced the good of the public.
