ABSTRACT
The story begins by considering the development of education and society during the colonial period of American history. Extending from the begin ning of the 17th century (1600s) to the time of the American Revolution (1776-1783), this period encompassed nearly two centuries, and witnessed the appearance of a nascent Euro-American society on the North American continent. It was a time of beginnings for many aspects of what has come to be known today as American culture, patterns of behavior and attitudes dis tinct from those found in Europe. And it was an era of sweeping social changes, even if it predated industrialization and large-scale urban develop ment. Colonial society was agricultural, and it was cast on a small scale. But it also was a society in transition, experiencing growth and a process of change that eventually led to the Revolutionary War and the dawn of a new age in American history.
