ABSTRACT
The dawn of a new century in 1800 was a momentous time in the United States. The new nation was brimming with optimism and hope for the future as its citi zens contemplated the vast continent they had begun to settle. It was a land of great abundance and natural wealth, and immense challenges too. The decades to follow marked a time of important transitions in the development of Ameri can society, and the history of American education. The United States ex panded across continental 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 even longer periods of time.
