The Little-Known History of America’s Oldest Universities

Harvard University: Born from Crisis and Hope

Most people know Harvard as a symbol of American prestige, but few realize it was founded in 1636 during a time of uncertainty in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Puritans, worried about an uneducated clergy, urgently voted to found a “college at New Towne” (now Cambridge). Harvard’s first gift was 400 books from minister John Harvard, whose name the school later adopted. In its early years, Harvard was little more than a wooden building and a handful of students studying Greek, Latin, and divinity. By the mid-1700s, Harvard was already producing influential leaders, including five signers of the Declaration of Independence. Recently, Harvard has acknowledged its early ties to slavery, launching historical research projects and public forums in 2022 to address its legacy. The school’s story is tangled with America’s own evolution, from colonial experiment to global superpower.

College of William & Mary: Revolution’s Hidden Nursery

Chartered in 1693 by King William III and Queen Mary II, the College of William & Mary is the second-oldest university in the United States. What’s remarkable is its role as a training ground for the Revolution—three U.S. presidents (Jefferson, Monroe, and Tyler) studied here, and its alumni helped draft the Declaration of Independence. The school was the first to establish an honor code in 1736, emphasizing moral character as much as scholarship. Its 1729 Wren Building is the oldest college building still in use in the U.S. William & Mary was also among the first to offer elective courses, breaking the old tradition of a rigid, classical curriculum. According to campus archives and recent commemorations, the university has been digging deeper into its history, especially regarding enslaved people, with 2023 marking the expansion of its Lemon Project for reconciliation and research.

St. John’s College: America’s Great Books Experiment

St. John’s College, founded in 1696 in Annapolis, Maryland, is often overshadowed by its Ivy League cousins. But its history is anything but ordinary. Originally known as King William’s School, it merged with another institution in 1784 to become St. John’s. Today, it’s famous for its “Great Books” program—a radical approach introduced in the 1930s where students study classic texts from Plato to Einstein, with no majors or lectures, just discussion. This method was controversial and widely debated in the academic world. St. John’s has two campuses, the other in Santa Fe, New Mexico, founded in 1964. Recent data from the college shows a steady rise in applications, and its unique curriculum is often cited as a model for liberal arts education reform nationwide.

Yale University: From Clergy School to Research Powerhouse

Yale began in 1701 as the Collegiate School in Saybrook, Connecticut, founded by ten Congregationalist ministers to train clergy. What started as a tiny college moved to New Haven in 1718, taking the name Yale after merchant Elihu Yale donated books and goods worth 562 pounds sterling. By the 19th century, Yale was at the center of nationwide debates over curriculum modernization, adding sciences and engineering. Its faculty famously launched the first American scientific journal in 1818. In 2023, Yale’s endowment reached over $40 billion, making it one of the wealthiest universities globally. The campus has recently invested heavily in financial aid and diversity initiatives, reflecting a broader push for accessibility and inclusion.

University of Pennsylvania: Franklin’s Vision for Practical Learning

Founded in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania traces its roots to a charity school established by local preacher George Whitefield. Benjamin Franklin, always the innovator, took the struggling school in 1749 and turned it into a college focused on “practical” education—teaching not only classical subjects but also business, science, and modern languages, which was revolutionary at the time. Penn was the first American university to offer both undergraduate and graduate studies and established the first teaching hospital in 1765. Even today, Penn’s Wharton School is considered a leader in business education. According to the university’s 2024 annual report, Penn’s research expenditures surpassed $1.5 billion, underscoring its impact on everything from medicine to technology.

Moravian College: America’s First Coeducational Institution

Moravian College, now Moravian University, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, started as a humble school for girls in 1742. It was founded by Countess Benigna von Zinzendorf, a Moravian missionary, making it the first school to educate both boys and girls together in the American colonies. The Moravians, a Protestant group from what is now the Czech Republic, were radical for their time, believing in education for all, regardless of gender or background. The college’s archives reveal that it survived wars, fires, and economic hardship. Today, Moravian has expanded its programs and celebrated its 280th anniversary in 2022, with growing recognition for its pioneering role in coeducation.

Princeton University: A School Born from Religious Dissent

Princeton, originally founded as the College of New Jersey in 1746, sprang up during the religious “Great Awakening.” Its founders, New Light Presbyterians, wanted a place free from the Anglican influence of Harvard and Yale. The school moved to Princeton in 1756, with Nassau Hall standing as a national landmark—it even briefly served as the U.S. Capitol during the American Revolution. Princeton’s graduate school, established in 1900, became a magnet for Nobel laureates and researchers. In 2022, Princeton made headlines by increasing its financial aid packages, making tuition free for most families earning under $100,000. This bold move was widely reported as a model for elite universities working to increase access.

Columbia University: New York’s Answer to Harvard

Columbia, originally King’s College, was founded in 1754 by royal charter of King George II, making it the oldest college in New York. Its early years were tumultuous—the college closed during the American Revolution and reopened in 1784 with a new, secular charter. Columbia’s leadership quickly embraced the diversity and dynamism of New York City, setting it apart from its rural peers. It was the first American college to admit a student of African descent, Alexander Lucius Twilight, in 1823. In 2023, Columbia’s School of Engineering launched innovative AI and climate research labs, receiving grants from the National Science Foundation and other agencies, solidifying its role at the forefront of modern science and technology.

Brown University: Champion of Religious Freedom

Brown University was founded in 1764 in Rhode Island, the most religiously tolerant colony, by Baptists who wanted a college free from religious tests for admission. Unlike its peers, Brown was open to students of all faiths from the beginning. This commitment to pluralism was radical at the time. Brown was also the first Ivy League school to accept students regardless of religious affiliation, a fact celebrated in its 2024 campus exhibitions and archives. Brown’s “Open Curriculum,” introduced in 1969, allows students to design their own course of study—a policy that has inspired similar reforms at other universities.

Rutgers University: Colonial Roots, Statewide Reach

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, started as Queen’s College in 1766, chartered by Dutch Reformed Church leaders. It was the eighth-oldest college in America, and for much of its early history, it struggled financially, even closing at times. Rutgers was the site of the first college football game in 1869, marking a quirky but significant milestone in American sports history. Renamed Rutgers in 1825, the school now enrolls over 70,000 students on multiple campuses. In 2024, Rutgers announced a $500 million investment in STEM facilities, aiming to become a leader in applied research and technology in the Northeast.