History of higher education in the United States

[[File: ChristopherWrenBuilding.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Wren Building]] at the [[College of William & Mary]], built in 1700, is the oldest academic building in continuous use in the United States]]

[[File: ChristopherWrenBuilding.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Wren Building]] at the [[College of William & Mary]], built in 1700, is the oldest academic building in continuous use in the United States]]

Religious denominations established most early colleges in order to train ministers. They were modeled after [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] universities in England, as well as Scottish universities. [[Harvard University|Harvard College]] was founded by the [[Massachusetts]] Bay colonial legislature in 1636, and was named after an early benefactor. Most of the funding came from the colony, but the colleges began to collect endowments early on. Harvard first focused on training young men for the ministry, and won general support from the [[Puritan]] government, some of whose leaders had attended either Oxford or Cambridge.See [[Roger L. Geiger]], ''The History of American Higher Education'' (2014) [http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s10320.pdf pp 1-8 online] The [[College of William & Mary]] was founded by the [[Virginia]] government in 1693, with {{convert|20000|acre|km2}} of land for an endowment, and a penny tax on every pound of tobacco, together with an annual appropriation. [[James Blair (Virginia)|James Blair]], the leading [[Church of England]] minister in the colony, was [[List of longest-serving higher education presidents|president for 50 years]], and the college won the broad support of the Virginia gentry. It trained many of the lawyers, politicians, and leading planters at the time.See Geiger, ''The History of American Higher Education'' (2014) [http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s10320.pdf pp 11-15 online] [[Yale University|Yale College]] was founded in 1701, and in 1716 was relocated to New Haven, Connecticut. The conservative Puritan ministers of Connecticut had grown dissatisfied with the more liberal theology of Harvard and wanted their own school to train orthodox ministers.See Geiger, ''The History of American Higher Education'' (2014) [http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s10320.pdf pp 8-11 online]

Religious denominations established most early colleges in order to train ministers. They were modeled after [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] universities in England, as well as Scottish universities. [[Harvard University|Harvard College]] was founded by the [[Massachusetts]] Bay colonial legislature in 1636, and was named after an early benefactor. Most of the funding came from the colony, but the colleges began to collect endowments early on. Harvard first focused on training young men for the ministry, and won general support from the [[Puritan]] government, some of whose leaders had attended either Oxford or Cambridge.See [[Roger L. Geiger]], ''The History of American Higher Education'' (2014) [http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s10320.pdf pp 1-8 online] The [[College of William & Mary]] was founded by the [[Virginia]] government in 1693, with {{convert|20000|acre|km2}} of land for an endowment, and a penny tax on every pound of tobacco, together with an annual appropriation. [[James Blair (Virginia)|James Blair]], the leading [[Church of England]] minister in the colony, was president for 50 years, and the college won the broad support of the Virginia gentry. It trained many of the lawyers, politicians, and leading planters at the time.See Geiger, ''The History of American Higher Education'' (2014) [http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s10320.pdf pp 11-15 online] [[Yale University|Yale College]] was founded in 1701, and in 1716 was relocated to New Haven, Connecticut. The conservative Puritan ministers of Connecticut had grown dissatisfied with the more liberal theology of Harvard and wanted their own school to train orthodox ministers.See Geiger, ''The History of American Higher Education'' (2014) [http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s10320.pdf pp 8-11 online]

[[Old and New Lights|New Light]] [[Presbyterians]] in 1747 set up the College of New Jersey, in the town of Princeton; it was later renamed [[Princeton University]] in 1896. In [[New York City]], the Church of England set up King's College by [[royal charter]] in 1746, with its president Doctor [[Samuel Johnson (Columbia)|Samuel Johnson]] the only teacher. Following the American Revolutionary War, the Tory administration of the college was overthrown and it was renamed [[Columbia College (New York)|Columbia College]] in 1784, then later renamed [[Columbia University]] in 1896. Rhode Island College was founded by [[Baptists]] in 1764, and in 1804 it was renamed [[Brown University]] in honor of a benefactor. Brown was especially liberal in welcoming young men from other denominations. The Academy of Pennsylvania, a secondary school, was founded in 1749 by [[Benjamin Franklin]] and other civic-minded leaders in [[Philadelphia]]. In 1755, it received its charter, was renamed College of Philadelphia and was converted into an institution of higher education. Unlike the other universities, it was not oriented towards the training of ministers. It was renamed the [[University of Pennsylvania]] in 1791. The [[Reformed Church in America|Dutch Reformed Church]] in 1766 set up Queen's College in New Jersey, which later became [[Rutgers University]]. [[Dartmouth College]], chartered in 1769, moved to its present site in Hanover, [[New Hampshire]], in 1770.[[John R. Thelin]], ''A History of American Higher Education'' (2004) pp 1-40Lawrence A. Cremin, ''American Education: The Colonial Experience, 1607–1783'' 1970, ''passim''

[[Old and New Lights|New Light]] [[Presbyterians]] in 1747 set up the College of New Jersey, in the town of Princeton; it was later renamed [[Princeton University]] in 1896. In [[New York City]], the Church of England set up King's College by [[royal charter]] in 1746, with its president Doctor [[Samuel Johnson (Columbia)|Samuel Johnson]] the only teacher. Following the American Revolutionary War, the Tory administration of the college was overthrown and it was renamed [[Columbia College (New York)|Columbia College]] in 1784, then later renamed [[Columbia University]] in 1896. Rhode Island College was founded by [[Baptists]] in 1764, and in 1804 it was renamed [[Brown University]] in honor of a benefactor. Brown was especially liberal in welcoming young men from other denominations. The Academy of Pennsylvania, a secondary school, was founded in 1749 by [[Benjamin Franklin]] and other civic-minded leaders in [[Philadelphia]]. In 1755, it received its charter, was renamed College of Philadelphia and was converted into an institution of higher education. Unlike the other universities, it was not oriented towards the training of ministers. It was renamed the [[University of Pennsylvania]] in 1791. The [[Reformed Church in America|Dutch Reformed Church]] in 1766 set up Queen's College in New Jersey, which later became [[Rutgers University]]. [[Dartmouth College]], chartered in 1769, moved to its present site in Hanover, [[New Hampshire]], in 1770.[[John R. Thelin]], ''A History of American Higher Education'' (2004) pp 1-40Lawrence A. Cremin, ''American Education: The Colonial Experience, 1607–1783'' 1970, ''passim''