Comparing and Contrasting Two Pieces on Seventeenth Century Education in England

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Comparing and Contrasting Two Pieces on Seventeenth Century Education in England The seventeenth century in England was a time of many radical events and new ideas. This included the shifting of political powers from monarchy to commonwealth and back to monarchy as well as new writings from such people as Margaret Cavendish, William Shakespeare, Francis Bacon, and John Dryden. Included with these prominent names are John Milton and Bathsua Makin. The former may be better well known than the latter, but both had much to say on the topic of education. Of Education by John Milton and An Essay to Revive the Antient Education of Gentlewomen by Bathsua Makin both call for the reform of education. However, even though both authors were influenced by John Amos Comenius, agreed that education is what God wants, that it is important, and that the base of education should start with the learning of languages, the reason why they wrote their pieces and approach they take to the reform of education are completely different; Milton focuses on “how” to educate men and Makin focuses on “why” to educate women. Theses similarities and differences spawn from the structure and culture of the society they both lived in. John Milton and Bathsua Makin both lived during the times of James I, Charles I, Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth, and Charles II. James I did not largely affect Milton and Makin’s lives. He was born in Scotland and became the king of Scotland when he was just a year old (Williamson 75). Being related to Elizabeth I through their grandparents, he became king of England when Elizabeth I died in 1603. He ruled England from 1603-1625 as a “naturally able and intelligent” ruler who commissioned the well known King James Bible. When he died in 1625, his son Charles took the throne. Charles I “encountered the same troubles with Parliament as his father and
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