It is often thought that Roberto Nevilis of Venice, Italy invented homework in 1905 as a punishment for his students. Upon further inspection, however, this seems to be more of an internet myth than a fact due to the lack of historic evidence. Instead, it is believed that Horace Mann, an American 19th-century politician and educational reformer, invented the modern concept of homework and made it an educational essential in schools. He got the idea after traveling to Prussia and attending "The Volksschulen ("People's Schools"). Students at "the Volksschulen were given mandatory assignments to be completed at home on their own time as a way to demonstrate the nation-state of Germany’s power, even during personal time (due to the work of Johann Gottlieb Fichte, who was trying to rally support for a unified German state). This inspired Horace Mann to enforce it into the American education system, which subsequently spread it around the world soon after.