In the 19th Century, public education for children became more common, generating mass-market handwriting manuals. These manuals, rather than simply showing off beautiful script, provided instruction for those learning to write for the first time. Some 18th-century flourishes carried over, but increased standardization made handwriting more uniform.

Specifically intended "for the use of schools and families," William Jones's 1824 Permanent Writing Book includes practice exercises and water-reactive pages. This magical little book has both alphabet, stroke, word, and phrase exercises for in-depth practice and for understanding how cursive letters get their shapes. Consider following along to the exercises to get a feel for the cursive of the period. 

Written to former U.S. president John Adams by Daniel Putnam, this letter describes Putnam's reaction to unfavorable accusations made against his late father, Major General Israel Putnam. Putnam asks Adams whether the accusations against his father could be true, and if the current president, James Monroe, would know anything. Putnam appeals to Adam's sense of duty as a father to help a dutiful son correct the record on his father's reputation.