Liberal arts facts for kids

Diagram of the seven liberal arts (12th century)

Liberal arts is a type of education that helps you think better and learn many different skills. It's based on ideas from ancient times, like Ancient Greek and Roman culture. This way of learning was first created in the Middle Ages (around the 12th and 13th centuries).

Back then, it was mostly for young men from important families. Today, many different people study liberal arts. Colleges that focus on liberal arts teach both boys and girls.

What are the Seven Liberal Arts?

The seven liberal arts were taught in two main groups. These groups were called the trivium and the quadrivium.

• Trivium (the "three ways")
  • Grammar
  • Dialectic (logic)
  • Rhetoric
• Quadrivium (the "four ways")
  • Arithmetic
  • Geometry
  • Astronomy
  • Music

During the Middle Ages, these subjects were very important in university education. Students would first learn the trivium. After that, they would move on to the quadrivium.

Over time, what "liberal arts" meant changed. At first, most of the teaching was in Latin. This was the language students learned before college. The courses were for the elite, focusing on old classical works. Later, "liberal arts" grew to include both humanities and science. However, practical jobs like agriculture, business, or engineering are still not part of the liberal arts.

The Trivium: Learning to Use Words

The trivium comes from a Latin word meaning "three ways." This group of subjects focused on how to use language and think clearly.

• Grammar is about using language correctly. It helps you speak and write well.
• Dialectic (also called logic) is about thinking correctly. It helps you find the truth.
• Rhetoric is about expressing yourself clearly. It teaches you how to organize a speech or a written piece. It helps you make sure people understand and believe what you say.

The Quadrivium: Exploring Numbers and the World

The quadrivium comes from a Latin word meaning "four ways." These subjects were all about mathematics and understanding the world around us.

• Arithmetic teaches you all about numbers and how they work.
• Geometry teaches you how to calculate and understand spaces and shapes.
• Astronomy teaches you about the stars, planets, and the universe.
• Music teaches about patterns and relationships in sound. In the Middle Ages, it was seen as a mathematical study of melody and song.

Modern Liberal Arts Colleges

Today, liberal arts colleges are a new version of this old idea. Many of them are in the United States. These colleges focus on great teaching. They are often similar to the Oxford and Cambridge universities in England.

Most of these colleges charge fees for tuition. This means they often educate students from wealthier families. The courses they offer are usually for undergraduate students, meaning those who are just starting their university studies.

Images for kids

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  Philosophia et septem artes liberales, the seven liberal arts. From the Hortus deliciarum of Herrad of Landsberg (12th century)

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  Allegory of the seven liberal arts, The Phoebus Foundation

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  Thompson Library at Vassar College in New York

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  "Thriumph of S. Tomas & Allegory of the Sciences" by Andrea di Bonaluto. Frasco, 1365-68, Basilica di S. Maria Novella.

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  "A young man introduced to the seven Liberal Arts" by Sandro Boticelli, c. 1484. Fresco in Villa Lemni, Florence.

See also

In Spanish: Artes liberales para niños