ABSTRACT
The dawn of a new century in 1800 was a momentous time in the United States. The new nation was brimming with energy and plans for the future as its citizens contemplated the vast continent they were settling. It was a land of great natural wealth, and immense challenges too. The decades to follow marked a time of important transitions in the development of American society, and the history of American education. The United States expanded across North America, and national systems of transportation and communication began to take shape. This period also saw the creation of state-supervised systems of public education, beginning with common (or primary) schools and eventually extending to high schools and universities. The reach of formal education expanded considerably as a result, with greater numbers attending school for ever longer periods of time.
