How old is business education? Who started the first business school? Were there precedents for this innovation? Is business education an American or European phenomenon? How does business education relate to economics and other types of professional education? How did the Industrial Revolution influence the emergence of business education? The first American business school was the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1881. This book examines the precedents that influenced the founders, and explores the influence of Wharton on subsequent business schools. It also investigates the role of French and German technical institutes, within a movement toward practical education that encompassed both engineering and business. The author concludes that business education is much older than commonly believed, that American business education was influenced by European precedents, and that engineering education served as an institutional model for business schools. This book is written for faculty researchers and graduate students in business history and the history of higher education. It may also appeal to business school alumni who are interested in history.