<P> The Kingdom of Prussia introduced a modern public educational system designed to reach the entire population; it was widely copied across Europe and the United States in the 19th century . The basic foundations of the Prussian primary education system were laid out by Frederick the Great with his "Generallandschulreglement," a decree of 1763, drafted by Johann Julius Hecker . It mandated the schooling of all young Prussians, both girls and boys, to be educated by mainly municipality funded schools from age 5 until age 13 or 14 . Prussia was among the first countries in the world to introduce a tax - funded and generally compulsory primary education . In comparison, compulsory schooling in France or Great Britain was not successfully enacted until the 1880s . </P> <P> The Prussian system consisted of an eight - year course of primary education, called Volksschule . It provided not only basic technical skills needed in a modernizing world (as reading and writing), but also music (singing), religious (Christian) education in close corporation with the churches and tried to impose a strict ethos of duty, soberness and discipline . Mathematic and calculus were not compulsory in the start and taking such courses was requiring additional payment by parents . Frederick the Great also formalized further educational stages, such as the Realschule and the highest stage, the gymnasium (state funded secondary school), which was used as university - preparatory school . The final examination, Abitur, was introduced in 1788, implemented in all Prussian secondary schools by 1812, and extended to all of Germany in 1871 and is in place till the present . Passing the Abitur was a pre-requisite to entering the learned professions and higher echelons of civil service . Generations of Prussian and as well German teachers, which in the 18th century often had no formal education and in the very beginning often were former petty officers without pedagogic training, tried to gain more academic recognition, training and better pay and played an important role in various protest and reform movements . </P> <P> The Prussian system, after its modest beginnings, succeeded in reaching compulsory attendance, specific training for teachers, national testing for all students (of all genders), national curriculum set for each grade and mandatory Kindergarten . In 1810, Prussia introduced state certification requirements for teachers, which significantly raised the standard of teaching. <</P> <P> In the 18th century, states were paying more attention to their educational systems because they recognized that their subjects are more useful to the state if they are well educated . The conflicts between the crown and the church helped the expansion of the educational systems . In the eyes of the church and the state, universities and colleges were institutions that existed to maintain the dominance of one over the other . The downside of this conflict was that the freedom of thought on the subjects taught in these institutions was restricted . An educational institution was either a supporter of the monarchy or the religion, never both . </P>

What did the spread of public education have on culture