Storiascopio · Era 10 of 12 · lower secondary year 2
Compulsory primary school (Coppino law)
1877 · Rome, Italy
In short
When Italy was united, almost eight Italians in ten could not read or write. In 1877 the law brought in by the minister Michele Coppino made primary school compulsory for children aged 6 to 9. Town councils had to open schools, and parents who did not send their children could be fined. In the countryside, though, many children went on working, and the rule was only obeyed little by little.
Why it matters It was a decisive step towards the idea that learning is the right of every child.
Source: Treccani, Dizionario Biografico, entry “Coppino, Michele”
Where we are in the era “Age of revolutions”
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1712Event 22 of 251895
Your turn
Name ______________________ Class ______ Date __________
When did it happen? Find the date at the top and write it here:
Tell it in your own words: what happened?
Draw the scene below.
storiascopio.com/en/event/compulsory-primary-school-coppino-law/ · free worksheet, you may photocopy it for your class