Who Wrote about America - Essay Example

The three traits that characterized Americans during the period according to the travelers were materialism, equalitarianism, and a reformist or "do good" attitude. According to one traveler, Ms. Martineau, "wealth was the most important object in life". Travelers also observed that Americans practiced "social democracy" in which people from the lower classes could speak on an equal level or in a familiar manner with those who were above them in social station. Americans were also observed to be "reformist" or they had a tendency to affect change for the better of society and that this had apparently worked - as for one, according to Mrs.

Trollope, there were no beggars on the streets.4. List 3 major social changes that occurred in the 19th Century that aided women in achieving prominence in education. 1. Industrialization2. Immigration3. Urbanization 5. List 3 Nineteenth Century Innovations in Education that helped women become the dominant force in education 1. The Troy Plan / the founding of the Troy Female Seminary 2. The founding of the Hartford Female Seminary and the publication of "A Treatise on Domestic Economy 3. The establishment of the Board of National Public Education and the founding of the Women's Educational Association6.

Identify and Give the significance of: a. Horace Mann - considered the "Father of American Education" whose pioneering work in education in Massachusetts became the model for other states. He firmly believed that education was the great social equalizer and justified taxation of all citizens to support the education of all children.b. Noah Webster - the "Schoolmaster of the Republic", he propagated common American language through his dictionary and wrote one the first American textbooks, "The Blue Blacked Speller.

Webster firmly believed that the job of educators was a more important job than those of lawmakers or preachers and that education was key to nationalism and political stability.c. William Holmes McGuffey - is best known for writing the McGuffey Readers, one of Americas's first and most widely read textbooks. He was a teacher and church minister and became the president of three colleges. d. Catherine Beecher - famously the author of "A Treatise on Domestic Economy", which enjoined women to their roles as domestic overseers, as teachers and also stressed the value of work for women.

She also founded the Board of National Public Education which trained women in order to take part in civilizing the Western states.e. Emma Williard - introduced the Troy Plan which successfully educated females along "male" subjects such as math and sciences and thereby demonstrating that females were just as intellectually competent as men. Her Troy Female Seminary was recognized as the first training school for teachers in America.