ABSTRACT
There can be little doubt that education was shaped by larger social forces during the 1800s, but there is the opposite connection to consider as well. How did the evolution of schooling affect the larger process of social development? It turns out that the 19th century offers a good deal of evidence for considering this question too. Even though it was long ago, developments during that era can hold important implications for understanding the impact of education on society. It is useful, in that case, to examine the period further, especially regarding the critical social categories of ethnicity, gender, and race.
