What characteristic defines dame schools in colonial America?

Dame schools in colonial America were characterized by being informal educational settings typically run by women in their own homes. These schools emerged as a way for families to provide basic education, particularly in reading, writing, and arithmetic, to children. Since women were often responsible for the domestic sphere during this period, they utilized their homes as the venue for education, which made these schools accessible to children in the community.

The emphasis on in-home education aligns with the societal norms of the time, where women were seen as the primary educators for young children. This played a crucial role in early childhood education, especially for children who might not have access to formal schooling facilities. The other options do not accurately represent the context of dame schools: they were not primarily run by men, did not operate in formal buildings, and were typically open to both boys and girls, contrary to the notion of being exclusively for boys.