author
Joel Dorman Steele
1836–1886
A 19th-century educator who helped make science and history more approachable for ordinary students, he became one of the most widely read textbook writers of his time. Working closely with his wife, Esther Baker Steele, he turned difficult subjects into lively, popular schoolbooks.
2 Audiobooks
A Brief History of the United States
by Joel Dorman Steele
About the author
Born in Lima, New York, on May 14, 1836, Joel Dorman Steele grew up to become an American educator and textbook writer. He graduated from Genesee College in 1858 and later served as principal of the Elmira Free Academy in New York, where he began developing the clear, engaging teaching style that shaped his books.
Steele is best remembered for his Fourteen Weeks series, especially Fourteen Weeks in Chemistry, which helped popularize science teaching in American schools. He and his wife, Esther Baker Steele, also wrote successful works on American history, physics, astronomy, zoology, and physiology, reaching a broad audience of teachers and students.
He died on May 25, 1886. Even after his death, his books remained influential, and his name stayed closely tied to practical, lively education in the late 19th century.