Primitive education

Atzec:
The Calmecac is where the noble children went to school. The Calmecac was run by priests who taught about
religion, governing, astronomy, history and poetry, Aztec children who attended this school would later on
become priests, government officials or leaders.

The people of the Aztec empire had compulsory education for everyone regardless of their gender or their class.
That means that even slaves or girls could get an education. When children were still young, their education was
the responsibility of the adult. The father would teach the sons, and the mother the daughters. People in the
Aztec society were generally well educated though boys still had privileges and got a wider education than girls

Discipline was often very harsh as courtesy and respect was a big part of Aztec education. Verbal scolding was how
the Aztec parents educated children up until the age of 8. But as the child grew older, harsh punishments would be
in store for the older child to prepare him for the harsher realities of Aztec life.
Aztec children would play with marbles, stones, and the bow and arrow. When they became teenagers, they
might play Ullamaliztli--the legendary Aztec ball game--and the board game Patolli. They also learned about the
importance of music is a huge aspect of the entire Aztec culture. They would practise musical instruments both at
home and school. When they are between the ages of 12 and 15, they would learn many Aztec national songs.

When the children were young, they would go to the same school. However, as they grew older, they split into two
main branches. One branch was the Telpochcalli, the school for the poor and the Calmecac, the school for the
noble. Boys and girls did not attend the same school. However, no matter whatever school they attended, school
was tough. There was no recess and no time to relax.
Some schools trained kids in specialised professions. If kids showed talent in a particular aspect, they would be
moved to these special classes. For instance, one might show interest in plants and making medicines, thus they
might be moved into the school that trained doctors. The Aztecs knew that there was a need for a talented work
force, whether that specialised work force was formed from common people or the nobility. If you had talent,
school was a chance to move up in the world. The Aztecs believed in giving everyone a chance, even if it was a slim
one.

Girls received more home schooling that boys. They were taught by their mothers. They were taught how to run a
home, cook, and care for a family. They began learning to weave at the age of four and how to cook at the age of
12. But they were also taught things like crafts and ways to economically run the home. Education for girls were
more or less preparations to be a good wife and for marriage. Women had a lot of power in Aztec society but it
was more behind the scenes. Noble girls spent a year when they were 12 or 13 attending the priestesses in the
temples. Some would also go on to become professional priestesses.

Most boys were trained in hunting, farming, fishing and fighting. At the age of five, they carried firewood and
accompanied their fathers to the marketplace. They watched how their parents exchanged goods in the market.
The market was a place for boys to meet new people and learn how to behave around adults and other children. In
their preteen years, boy learned to fish. Aztec boys started their education at 15 at the Calmecac. Those who didn't
attend this school went to the Cuicacalli, a junior military academy which taught them about warfare.

The Macehualtin who were the class of merchants, peasants and craftsmen. Their children went to a local school
known as the Telpochcalli. The children there were taught basic occupational skills, basics of warfare, civics, history
and religion. Boys and girls attended different schools. Some Macehualtin who were gifted and talented were sent
to a calmecac which is where the children of noble birth went to school.

The Calmecac is where the noble children went to school. The Calmecac was run by priests who taught about
religion, governing, astronomy, history and poetry, Aztec children who attended this school would later on become
priests, government officials or leaders.

Mesopothamia:
Mesopotamian education was a cornerstone of elite life for all empires that dwelt in the Fertile Crescent. The first schools
were started by the Sumerians in southern Mesopotamia. The invention of writing in the mid-4th millennium B.C. made kings
and priests realize the need for educating scribes.

Mesopotamian education was a cornerstone of elite life for all empires that dwelt in the Fertile Crescent. The first schools were
started by the Sumerians in southern Mesopotamia. The invention of writing in the mid-4th millennium B.C. made kings and
priests realize the need for educating scribes. At first, the writing was simple pictograms, but it gradually developed into
cuneiform, wedge-shaped marks inscribed on clay. The wedge shapes were due to the triangle-shaped tip of the stylus, a reed
used as a pen. With the invention of writing, the Sumerians began to record everything they saw: business records, inventories,
observations of daily life, religious hymns, poems, stories, palace orders and temple records.

Mesopotamian education largely centered around literacy. This could be said for nearly any culture, but it was particularly true for
the difficult of the written language. In the 3rd millennium, cuneiform writing became quite complex. It took 12 years to learn the
cuneiform marks and the general knowledge of scribes. Temples established schools in which to educate boys as scribes and
priests. At first, scribal schools were aligned with the temples, but gradually secular schools took over. Established scribes
opened schools and charged costly tuition.

The costly tuition ensured that only boys of wealthy families could afford to acquire any level of Mesopotamian education. The
sons of the nobility, government officials, priests and rich merchants went to school from dawn to dusk each day. Due to the
difficulty in learning cuneiform script, few Sumerians were literate, although they could probably recognize some common words.

Boys probably started school when they were seven or eight years old. Learning scribal skills was hard work. Girls did not learn
to read or write unless they were a king’s daughters or were training as priestesses. Teachers, mostly former scribes or priests,
were harsh disciplinarians; mistakes were often punished by whipping. Teachers punished students who spoke out of turn, spoke
without permission, dressed inappropriately, or got up and left without permission. They expected students to be obedient as well
as hard working.

Teachers taught the boys reading, writing, math and history. Depending on their future employment, students not only had to
learn literacy and numeracy, but to be familiar with a wide variety of subjects, including geography, zoology, botany, astronomy,
engineering, medicine and architecture. While schools were reserved only for the elite and wealthy, students had to work hard to
learn the skills of a scribe.

Students learned the complicated cuneiform script by constant practice on their clay tablets. A teacher would write a sentence on
the tablet. The student was then to copy the sentence repeatedly until he got it right with no errors. A “big brother” or a teacher’s
aide helped younger students with their work. Repeated practice, recitation, reading various texts and constant copying gradually
taught the students the thousands of groups of cuneiform marks they needed to know. Archeologists found many clay tablets
covered with a student’s efforts, often corrected by a teacher. Once graduated, a new scribe could become a priest with more
training, or he could work as a scribe for the military, palace, temple or an array of businesses.

Mayans:

The Mayans are Mesoamerican civilizations developed by its people called the Maya. It is
known for its advanced and beautiful writing system, culture, arts, math, calendar, and
astronomical system.

Mayan symbols are a rich source of material culture for the Central American civilization and
are among the most important archeological finds that have helped piece together their
economics, farming methods, politics, and social practices.
Symbols carry the heart of every culture, and every culture’s symbols represent its inner reality
to the people of that culture. Symbols can be anything, a gesture, a song, a phrase or an image.
They often carry many layers of meaning that everyone in the culture understands intuitively.

Hundreds of Mayan symbols can be found carved on stone, which allow archeologists and other
researchers to gain an understanding of their culture. In fact, Mayan writing consists of symbols
called glyphs. Of the hundreds of Mayan symbols, some appear more often on the carved stelae
and temple walls in Mayan cities, revealing their importance to the culture. Glyphs of animals
were powerful symbols to the Mayans, especially the jaguar and the eagle. The following short
list describes a few important Mayan symbols.

6 Reasons Why the Mayans Were an Awesome Civilization

Over the last few decades, the Mayan civilization has deeply captured our interests and
imaginations. Generations of curious explorers have dived headfirst into the deep jungles of
Central America and discovered buried cities, remarkable pyramids, spiritual mysteries, and
astronomical and mathematical wonders that caused our fascination with this ancient culture to
grow.

They left behind intricate architecture, unique cuisine, and languages that have had a tremendous
impact on our modern world. Yet, the deeper we dive into the Mayan universe, the more obscure
our vision of it becomes. After years of research and excavations, historians are still unable to
tell us who these people really were, where they came from, and how their great empire
collapsed. However, the little that we have learned reveals that the Mayans were an impressive,
sophisticated and awesome civilization.

Writing

The Mayan writing system, its mathematics in service of astronomy and the complex three
interlocking calendars in one were a major cultural achievement. The Mayans were one of the
few cultures to come up with the concept of zero. They could calculate sums in the hundreds of
millions, all with a base 20 math system and simple number symbols. The Mayan writing system
fully represented their spoken languages, the only Mesoamerican writing system to do so.
Hundreds of glyphs and pictograms represent things, ideas, concepts or syllables and words.
While only the noble class was fully literate, many Mayans could no doubt read or recognize the
public writings on walls and monuments. We’ll discuss the Mayan calendar in a separate article.

Other Cultural Achievements

The Mayans produced many technological innovations and inventions. They knew how to make
rubber from gum trees. They created a full rainbow of paint colors, including the famous Maya
Blue. Most Mayan paints were mineral based, using mica, copper or other minerals. Maya Blue’s
major property is indigo bound to the mineral palygorskite, which makes it a bright blue color.
Tough, durable Maya Blue has resisted the humid Mesoamerican climate for centuries. The
Mayans developed intensive and extensive agricultural techniques in order to feed their thriving
society, including terracing, raised bed farming and irrigation. One Mayan cultural achievement
is universally recognized: chocolate. Thanks to Mesoamericans, Mayans among them, people
around the world enjoy this delicious food.

Distinctive Features of the Maya Culture

Maya culture shared many characteristics with other Mesoamerican cultures such as the Olmec,
Zapotec or Aztec, but retained some features purely Mayan. The Maya, for example, had the
only writing system that represented the spoken language of the Mayans. While other
Mesoamericans also had a form of pictographic writing, the Maya had the only fully developed
writing system. In fact, many aspects of Maya culture were more refined or perfected forms of
art and architecture or the complex calendar shared among all Mesoamerican cultures. Because
of extensive trading networks, all Mesoamerican cultures influenced the others.

Geography

Mayans lived in southern Mexico and northern Central America including Guatemala, El
Salvador, Honduras and Belize. This area includes the northern lowlands, central lowlands and
southern highlands. These areas include rainforests, savannas, semi-arid highland plateaus, semi-
alpine peaks and swampy low areas. Such an array of landscapes is host to a rich diversity of
wildlife and plants; Maya culture adapted creatively to this diverse natural world.

Religion

The Maya religion centers on the cyclical nature of time, in constant birth, death and rebirth.
Maya rituals follow both terrestrial and celestial cycles, which Maya priests were expert at
reading. Maya civilization depended on maize or corn and the Maya maize god was of central
importance. Like the Aztecs, Mayans practiced human sacrifice, although not to the extent of the
Aztecs. Auto-sacrifice, or bloodletting, by rulers, priests and nobles was common. Great
pyramids held temples and tombs amid huge central plazas in every Maya city. Religion was
central and a vital component of Mayan life.

Architecture

A Maya city can be recognized from the stepped pyramids, huge plazas and expansive palaces
built for kings and nobles. One religious ritual common to many Mesoamerican cultures was the
sacred ball game, with a ball court built close to temples. Carved stone monuments called stelae
are found all over the Mayan areas. Stelae were carved in bas relief to celebrate the life and
deeds of Maya rulers and nobles and can still be seen today. With the invention of the corbelled
arch, Maya builders created light and airy rooms that lent their temples and palaces a decided
gracefulness.

Writing System

The Maya developed a complex writing system that represented their spoken language, the only
fully developed writing system from a Stone Age culture. Maya script relied on over a thousand
glyphs or symbol which could represent either a syllable or a word. The Maya wrote books
called codices made of bark paper and folded like an accordion.

Mathematics, Astronomy, Calendar

The Maya excelled in their use of mathematics especially as it pertained to astronomy and the
working out of their calendar. The astronomical observations of the Maya were quite accurate,
denoting the movements of the planets, particularly Venus, and the sun and moon. From these
excellent astronomical notations, the Maya constructed and perfected the Mesoamerican
calendar, which included both the sacred, ritual 260-day calendar and the 365 day solar calendar
with the Long Count Calendar. The Long Count Calendar began on the date August 11, 3114
B.C. and entered its next cycle on December 21, 2012. The brouhaha over the end of the world
date of December 21, 2012 began when the end of a long cycle was interpreted as the end of the
world.

Eg:

The public education system in Egypt consists of three levels: the basic education stage for 4–
14 years old: kindergarten for two years followed by primary school for six years and
preparatory school (ISCED Level 2) for three years.

Facts About Education In Ancient Egypt

 Ancient Egypt’s education syllabus included reading, writing, morality, mathematics, sports and
religious instruction
 The Egyptians used hieroglyphs or symbols in their written language. Their language was
primarily comprised of consonants and had few vowels
 Formal education for young boys began when they turned 7
 Most boys were apprenticed to their father’s trade after completing their formal education
 Scribes provided secular instruction on reading, writing, medicine and mathematics
 Priests taught lessons on religion and morality
 Surviving images show children seated at their desks in a classroom, while a teacher is seated at
a larger desk
 Most women in ancient Egypt were not allowed to receive a formal education but were
homeschooled
 Lower-class women could rarely read or write

Access To Education

Hence, it was customary for children of the elite of Egyptian society to attend school as members
of these families required instruction in a range of disciplines to ensure the efficient governance
of the country. Common subjects covered by ancient Egypt’s education syllabus included
reading, writing, morality, mathematics, sports and religious instruction.

Girls were not sent to school but were home educated by their mothers. Girls received instruction
on reading cooking, sewing and managing the household. These topics were seen as socially
important for women and education beyond these topics was considered to be superfluous.
Children from Egypt’s lower classes rarely received an education due to its cost, the limited
number of schools available and reservation of school places for children from royal and wealthy
backgrounds.

Ancient Egypt’s Education System

Mothers were responsible for educating their children, both boys and girls until the boys reached
4 years of age. From that age onwards, their fathers took on the responsibility for teaching their
boys. Respect for parents, particularly for their mothers, was ingrained in the children and there
was a keen focus on morals, manners and developing a work ethic. Disrespect and slothfulness
were punished severely.

Archaeological evidence suggests parallels exist between ancient Egyptian and modern
education settings. Images on tombs and temples show children seated at their desks in a
classroom, while a teacher is seated at a larger desk.

When young boys turned 7, they began their formal education. Students read educational texts,
called Kemty. These were written vertically rather than in the left to right

Ancient Egypt’s Teachers

Ancient Egypt’s teachers fell into two categories: priests and scribes. The role of priests was to
provide lessons on religion and morality. Scribes provided secular instruction on reading, writing
and subjects including medicine and mathematics. In the ancient Egyptian education system, the
same scribe would teach all the school’s subjects. This was especially common in village
schools.

Specialised teachers taught in schools dedicated to teaching a specialised stream of education.

One type of education was known as “Instruction of Wisdom.” Its syllabus consisted of lessons
on morality and ethics. Other specialised educational streams included medicine for doctors and
mathematics for construction work.

Ancient Egypt’s Education Curriculum

A diverse range of subjects was taught in ancient Egyptian schools. The focus for younger
students was usually confined to reading, writing, and basic mathematics. The range of topics
expanded as students progressed through to system to include such subjects such as mathematics,
history, geography, medicine, ethics, science, morality and music.

After finishing their education, most students followed the professions of their fathers. However,
it was also not unusual for students to choose a specialised educational path. Egypt’s higher
education system was focused on producing skilled practitioners and also included the children
of Egypt’s nobility and royal office holders.

Chna:
The history of education in China began with the birth of the Chinese civilization. Nobles often
set up educational establishments for their offspring. Establishment of the imperial examinations
(advocated in the Warring States period, originated in Han, founded in Tang) was instrumental in
the transition from an aristocratic to a meritocratic government. Education was also seen as a
symbol of power; the educated often earned significantly greater incomes[citation needed].

Han era
Main articles: Guozijian, Taixue, Academies (Shuyuan), and Guozijian (Beijing)

Emperor Wu of Han favored Confucianism and made it as the national educational doctrine. In
124 BC, The Origins of Statecraft in China was set up to turn out civil servant for the state,
which taught the Five Classics of Confucianism. The traditional Chinese attitude towards
education followed Mencius's advice that "Those who labor with their minds govern others;
those who labor with their strength are governed by others." Students selected to gain a
government post upon mastering a classic. By 25 CE, the Taixue had an enrollment of 30,000
students, 7,000 faculty, 240 buildings, and 1,850 rooms. Confucian scholars set up their private
school as well.

Medieval period

Imperial examination began at 605, which required the competitors to pass their local cutting
score before the final examination in the capital. So the private school prevailed. White Deer
Grotto Academy and Donglin Academy were their models.

The invention of paper and movable type greatly boosted the educational industry.

Qing dynasty

Education during the Qing dynasty was dominated by provincial academies, which did not
charge tuition fees and gave stipends to preselected students. They were dedicated to the pursuit
of independent study of the classics and literature, rather than to the preparation for governance,
as was the case with imperial academies. Professors rarely lectured students, instead offering
advice and criticizing research.[11]

The near total neglect of engineering, mathematics, and other applied science education by the
state contributed to a vast gap in military power between China and the European empires, as
evidenced by the outcomes of the First and Second Opium Wars and the Sino–French War
amongst others. In response, the Qing embarked on a self-strengthening movement, founding the
Tongwen Guan in 1861, which hired foreign teachers to teach European languages, mathematics,
astronomy and chemistry. In 1898, Peking University was founded, with a curriculum based on
the Japanese system. In 1905, the imperial examinations were abolished. In 1906, American
President Theodore Roosevelt passed the Boxer Indemnity Scholarship Program, which diverted
overfunding of the Boxer Indemnity toward higher education inside China. Tsinghua University
was founded in 1911 by its provisions.
India:

The history of education began with teaching of traditional elements such as Indian religions,
Indian mathematics, Indian logic at early Hindu and Buddhist centres of learning such as
ancient Takshashila (in modern-day Pakistan) and Nalanda (in India) before the common era.

The Ancient Period, or The Vedic Age (1500 C.E. to Early Medieval Age)

The ancient period was the time when great saints were at the helm of the Indian education
system. Ancient scriptures known as Vedas formed the strong foundations of Indian civilization.
The Vedas are the golden words which encompass all aspects of life, from moral doings to
spiritual values. They are probably the world’s oldest sacred texts.

These Vedas were written by the great sages (rishis) and were taught by teachers (Gurus) in
Gurukuls. In those days, education was free and available to people of brahmin, kshatriya and
vaishya castes. Shudras were not the recipients of learning. The Vedic Age exemplified equality
of opportunity and freedom of thought and expression for both males and females.

The Gurukul system of learning had its teachings based entirely on the principles of the Rig
Veda, since this book explores the concepts of knowledge and basics of human life and living.

Though there wasn’t any formal written curriculum as to what should be taught, the Gurus
ensured that any student living with them to seek knowledge was made to understand the
intricacies of life in a theoretical as well as a practical way. The practical form of learning was
encouraged more because it helped the student to integrate what was taught in a deep manner.

Sanskrit formed the basis of delivering vedic education. Students were taught in the form of
Shruti (listening) and Smriti (memorizing), since it was believed that this method ensured the
preservation of knowledge across generations to follow. Education during the Vedic age was a
journey from mortality to immortality, from chaos to spiritual bliss.

Only after the ceremony of Upnayana Sanskara was a student considered eligible to begin his
journey of learning. Personality development was given utmost importance since it helped in
making the student capable of living a healthy and socially well-adjusted life.

Indian education in ancient times was a process which molded and prepared the student to be
able to execute his duties in the coming stages of life. Spiritual and intellectual thoughts were the
basis of everyday living in the people.

The Guru (teacher) and shishya (pupil) shared a very deep and intimate bond with each other.
Students would reside in the forest at their teacher’s residence and live a simple life as
celibates till the completion of their education.

With the advent of Buddhism after the early Vedic Age, the former form of education was
predominant for several years. But unlike the early Vedic system which had restricted its
educational content to certain castes or strata of the society, Buddhism involved a more liberal
approach towards learning. Knowledge was given to anyone seeking enlightenment at its doors.

Buddhist scriptures are replete with wise sayings of the Buddha, also known as Dhammapada.
At this point of time, education was provided to students by monks and monasteries were the
centers of learning.

Buddhist education believed in imparting wisdom to an individual by awakening his/her inner

conscience. It was believed that a person should be free from desires in order to be truly whole
and complete.

Along with monasteries, viharas were emerging as a place of education for the classes and the
masses. Women, however had a hard time in achieving their educational objectives. Buddhist
society was reserved in terms of accepting women pupils and had imposed several restrictions on
them.

The world famous universities of Nalanda and Taxila had been established under the patronage
of rulers at that time. They were centers imparting knowledge in arts, sciences, mathematics,
theology, astrology, astronomies and medicine.

The Middle Age – Education in Medieval India (8th Century to 15th Century)

The time period between the 8th and 10th centuries saw the rise of many powerful kingdoms and
dynasties that added glory to the Indian landscape.

The Palas, Senas, Pratiharas, Rashtrakutas and Cholas promoted learning, arts and literature
wholeheartedly. It was during the reign of Palas when the famous Nalanda University was
brought back to its former splendor and Vikramshila University took birth as well.

The Middle Age in Indian history was a rather dynamic time when numerous trade routes and
foreign invasions colored the Indian subcontinent. Customs, cultures and traditions of Arab and
Central Asian region mingled with those of the Indian inhabitants over the years.