The United States education system would look very different without the ideas brought to America by German immigrants. Germany's influence can be traced back to the early days of our country. Their impact dates back to the first German settlement in 1608 in Jamestown, Pennsylvania. German immigrants to colonial America brought with them their culture, traditions, and philosophy on education. Much of the formal education system currently in place in the United States has its roots in Germany. German immigrants are responsible for the first kindergarten in America, introducing both physical and vocational education and establishing universal education for all students. They also had a strong impact on the birth of universities in our country. The German people were deeply religious. These religious beliefs were carried over into our new schools as our nation was formed. As early as the 1700s, school was a way to establish superiority over other nationalities. This article will examine the influence that German immigrants had on American education during the time America was being colonized and in the years that followed. This article will also examine how our modern education system has its roots in early German schools. My thesis is that our modern educational system was greatly influenced by the German people who immigrated to America. German immigrants were deeply religious people. In fact, many immigrants came to America to escape religious persecution in Germany. The immigrants, however, split into many different religious groups. Some of the most common German religions were Lutherans, Catholics, and Freethinkers. (#3 pg. 45) Many of the new German Americans exerted great energy...... middle of paper ...... immigrants lived their lives in hopes of raising children to carry on their German traditions. #1The German Eleme million million on % o nt in the United States with particular reference to its political, moral, social and educational influence By Albert Bernhardt Faust\1909Boston and New York - Houghton Mifflin Co.#2 The American School 1642-2000 Joel Spring McGraw Hill 2001#3 The Germans Jacquelyn Landis Green Haven Press 2006#4 The German-American Heritage Irene M. Franck 1989 New York - Oxford Facts on File#5 The German-Americans La Vern J. Rippley 1984 University Press of America , Inc .the culture of the German communities was designed to build and maintain the German heritage in the new countryWorks CitedThe American School 1642 - 2000 Joel SpringThe Germans Jacquelyn LandisThe German-American Heritage Irene M. Franch