Institution

Harvard University

1636 · 17th century · Also known as Harvard College

Harvard University, founded as Harvard College in 1636 by vote of the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. It was named after the clergyman John Harvard, who left it his library and half his estate in 1638. Set up chiefly to train Congregational ministers, it grew into one of the world's leading universities, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Harvard University
Image: Harvard University · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Massachusetts Bay Colony

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Harvard University. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/harvard-university
MLA
“Harvard University.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/harvard-university. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Harvard University.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/harvard-university.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Harvard University’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/harvard-university (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻