Colonial Life Massachusetts and Connecticut had laws saying that if there were 50 families, a teacher needed to be hired and a school setup. These schools were called grammar or writing schools.

Schools Boys went to grammar schools while girls went to dame school. There was no chalkboards, maps, or paper. School teachers were strict and were allowed to hit their students or make them wear a dunce hat.

Schools Girls stopped when they could read the Bible (about age 10) Boys usually stopped there, unless they were really smart. These few would go a special school to become a minister, where they studied Latin and Greek. At 18, they would take a test to see if they got into Seminary, a special college that trained ministers

Hornbooks A hornbook is a piece of wood with printed words on both sides of it. It is covered by a thin sheet of cow horn. Children were taught to read so they could read the Bible. Hornbooks included the alphabet and the Lord’s Prayer

New England Primer This was the first textbook. It was used to teach children how to read the Bible and say their prayers. It taught right from wrong Values: It was used to teach children what the Puritans thought was most important.