Society has been shaped by the principles and traditions established by its predecessors. In the early 1600s, European citizens immigrated to the New World for religious freedom and a new life. The New World was a vast, unexplored land filled with immense opportunities unseen by the settlers of that time. Communities, colonies, and small governments formed throughout the region, and social problems began to arise. As different issues arose, the colonists realized the importance and need for some type of educational system. The colonist believed that “the masses needed to be educated to understand the written religious and secular codes under which the colonies now lived” (Barger, 2004). The church established ladies' schools, grammar schools and colleges across the country to provide religious and spiritual education for the future generation. According to historian Samuel Morison, Early Americans believed that “education is of singular benefit to the Commonwealth and prepares children for future service in church and state” (1956, p. 67). Since the schools were run by the churches, their faith and different doctrinal beliefs had a great influence on the local schools. The American educational system of the early 17th and 18th centuries was based on Christianity. The early American educational curriculum was rooted in Christianity as it relied heavily on the use of Christian books to teach students. School teachers taught lessons strongly related to religion based on text such as a textbook (Reef, 2009, p. 4). The most common primer used by instructors at that time to teach reading and writing was the New England Primer (Mondale & Bernard, 2001, p. 21). The Ne...... middle of paper ......up. In P. Saari and J. Carnagie (Eds.), Colonial America Reference Library (Vol. 2, pp. 319-341). Detroit: UXL. Kross, J. (1997). 1600-1754: Education. In In American Times (Vol. 2, pp. 169-173). Detroit: UXL. Mondale, S., & Bernard, S. (2001). At school: The story of American public education (pp. 20-33). Boston: Beacon Press.Morison, S. (1956). In The Intellectual Life of Colonial New England (3 ed., pp. 3-176). New York: NY: New York University Press. Moroney, S. (2001). Education in early America. In M. K. Cayton & P. ​​W. Williams (eds.), Encyclopedia of American Cultural and Intellectual History. New York: NY: Sons of Chalres Scribner. Reef, C. (2009). In Education and Learning in America (pp. IX-20). New York: NY: Facts on File.Wright, L. (1965). In schools and learning in everyday life in colonial America (pp. 131-154). New York, NY: Sons of G. P. Putnam.