The Making of America’s Schools: From Revolution to Civil War (with Johann Neem)

The Making of America’s Schools: From Revolution to Civil War (with Johann Neem)

From The Report Card with Nat Malkus by AEI Podcasts

February 11, 2026 · 1h 13m

About this episode

This episode discusses the history of American education from the American Revolution to the Civil War, featuring insights from Johann Neem.

To commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, The Report Card will be releasing a few episodes on the history of American education—both to discuss how we arrived at the education system we have today and how our education system has shaped America. On this episode, Nat Malkus and Johann Neem cover the period between the American Revolution and the Civil War. Nat and Johann discuss civics education in early America, why some educators cared so much about imagination and self-culture, Horace Mann, pushback against education reformers, the difficulties of schooling in the young republic, the spread of the common schools movement, and more. Johann Neem is Professor of History at Western Washington University, editor of the Journal of the Early Republic , and the author of Democracy’s Schools: The Rise of Public Education in America .

People in this episode

Host: Nat Malkus

Guest: Johann Neem

Topics covered

  • history of American education
  • civics education
  • common schools movement
  • education reform
  • Horace Mann
  • imagination and self-culture
  • schooling in the young republic

Keywords

  • American education
  • civics education
  • Horace Mann
  • education reform
  • common schools
  • imagination
  • self-culture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Western Washington University

Books & works: Democracy’s Schools: The Rise of Public Education in America

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