The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of international distance education development through comparison of the distance education historical developments in China and the United States (U.S.). This study, utilizing a document analysis method, studied historical documents, explored the historical development of distance education in China and the U.S., compared the commonalities and the differences in the development of distance education between the two countries, and identified the major social agents who have produced and/or contributed to the commonalities and the differences that were found in those histories. The major events in both countries' distance education historical developments were teased out of historical documents and the themes of each country's distance education development were captured. These themes and the corresponding major historical events were presented in a chronological order for the purpose of balanced comparison. Five major commonalities and three fundamental differences were found through the comparison. Reflecting on these commonalities and differences, from the socio-historical approach, this study identified three key social agents who have played unique major roles in shaping each country's distance education history. This study suggests that understanding the different roles the three key social agents have played in both countries' century-long distance education histories is critical to understanding the present and the future of the two countries' distance education developments. This study further suggests that this socio-historical approach to exploring a country's distance education development can contribute to our understanding of other countries' distance education developments and international distance education development as a whole. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]