Children in ancient times were unlikely to be educated unless they were wealthy or royal. As early as 523 BC, Chinese boys were sent to a teacher at 8 years old. In ancient Egypt, upper-class children were educated according to such ideals as those in The Books of Instruction. Ancient Greek boys went to school at 7, but lower- or middle-class boys may have stayed for only three or four years before beginning to work.
During the European Middle Ages, education of children was often performed by the church. Monasteries and Cathedrals taught children a range of subjects, from Latin and French to math, astronomy and theology. Girls could be taught at convents but were often educated in sewing, baking and other practical accomplishments.
After the Renaissance, wealthy children were often sent to tutors, rather than being educated at school. Girls were finished by governesses. The emphasis was upon attainment of certain skills, rather than a well-rounded education.
After the Revolution, American education continued in the European style until the 1840s. Horace Mann, often called the father of American Education, set out a design that included education for all, regardless of class. Education in America then continued in a different direction than that of Europe.