As the United States has developed as a nation, so too has its educational system. As the colonies rebelled from Britain, their initial reliance on European educational models and philosophies was replaced by a greater focus on the Enlightenment, republicanism, and the influence of such prominent Americans as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Rush, and Noah Webster. From this developed a system of public education, extending education to Americans previously excluded from private academies and secondary schools. In recent years, there has been a movement away from progressivism and a return to traditionalism as studies demonstrate increasing illiteracy rates of students in the United States versus those of other industralized nations. "Education and Learning in America" examines the progress and development of education throughout U.S. history.Appendixes provide concise biographies of 61 important individuals, such as Jane Addams, John Dewey, and W.E.B. DuBois, as well as primary source documents, either full text or excerpts; a glossary; appendixes; maps; graphs and tables; notes; a thorough bibliography; and an index. More than 85 black-and-white images portraying the American education experience round out this in-depth resource.