American Education In The 1800s

The issues that in our present day public education system are, unfortunately, not extremely different from the issues of over a century ago. As our societal expectations have shifted over the years, the points of equity and equality continuously remain at the forefront of education’s challenges. From America’s construction of the public education system in the early 1800’s, reform acts have been a part of the game and have historically been influenced by those in power. From political leaders to the business and educational elite, those in power have been the dictators of what a quality American education is supposed to be. Although this country is built up of people from nearly every corner of the world, the dominant cultures and practices have always emerged as the standard for what should and would be taught in the United States. …show more content…
This act was the beginning to what would become the boarding school system that would ultimately pull Native Americans away from their communities and cultures to aid in the Americanization process. Furthermore, in nearly the same span of time, the situation with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 that ended the Mexican-American War arises. This treaty was an act that ultimately stripped many Mexican-Americans away from their culture and language in a similar fashion as Native Americans with the Civilization Fund Act. In both situations, an American education that was focused on Anglo values, cultural practices, and the English language where what was decided most valuable and necessary by those in power and influence. The empowering cultures, ethnicities, languages, and histories of other non-Anglo peoples were seemingly unworthy and unfit for any benefit towards the American