ABSTRACT
The dawn of a new century in 1800 was a momentous time in the United States. The new nation was brimming with energy as its citizens contemplated a vast continent stretching to the west. It was a land of great natural wealth, and immense challenges too. The decades to follow witnessed important changes in American society and the history of education. As the country expanded, national systems of transportation and communication took shape. The 19th century was a time of many changes as the United States spread across the North American continent. Industrialization took root, and as the volume of goods increased extremes of wealth and poverty widened. In sheer numbers, the population grew geometrically, increasing from 5.3 million to about 75 million by 1900. English-speaking settlement extended westward, establishing new towns and cities, and eventually counties and states. Economic historian Albert Fishlow estimated that an average American received just 210 days of formal education in a lifetime in 1800.
