Education is the process of passing on the knowledge of previous generations to future ones. The impact of this simple process is not to be underestimated, and in a fundamental way permitted mankind to dominate the planet. Originally a privilege solely of males, it soon became a fundamental right in the United States. Schools of all types began to specialize in certain fields and/or student demographics, allowing people of all kinds the benefit of this wealth of information. Modern curriculums surprisingly cover many of the same subjects taught throughout history, such as literature, language, and mathematics.