During the twenty years in which webster was preparing his dictionary, his income from the spelling book, though the royalty was less than a cent a copy, was enough to support his family. His bluebacked speller set a publishing record of a million copies a year for one hundred years. Noah webster was a truly remarkable man, shrewd, passionate, learned and energetic, godfearing and patriotic. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. In 1789, noah webster called on the newly independent united states to claim its own national version of the english language. Noah webster full view 1835 history of the united states. By 1850, when the total population of the united states was about 23 million, the annual sales of webster s spelling book were some 1 million copies, and the figures increased yearly. At the age of six, he attended a rundown primary school, which he dreaded. Webster was also a political activist, a newspaper editor, a founder of amherst college, and an early antislavery advocate. Noah webster biography childhood, life achievements. Noah webster biography life, children, death, history.
Websters name has become synonymous with dictionary in the united states, especially the modern merriamwebster dictionary that was first published in 1828 as an american dictio. Noah webster reforms the teaching of english in the united. Noah webster, born october 16, 1758, west hartford, connecticut, u. Daniel webster, noah webster 17581843 nonetheless profoundly influenced the development of american national language and culture. Noah webster, gods law, and the united states constitution.
See memoir of noah webster by his soninlaw, professor chauncey a. Noah webster s american spelling book, originally written in the 1780s while teaching in new york, became the most popular book in american education. He was descended from john webster of hartford, who was governor of connecticut in 16561657, and on his mothers side from governor william bradford of plymouth. October 16, 1758 may 28, 1843, was a lexicographer, textbook pioneer, englishlanguage spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author. He socialized with ben franklin, who was known as quite a lively character. His entire life was devoted to fulfilling this end. He went to yale and was the only one of the webster s five children to go past grammar school. Noah webster webster, noah, 17581843 the online books. Noah webster wrote in the history of the united states, 1832.
His bluebacked speller books taught five generations of american children how to spell and read. Noah webster s early american history download ebook pdf. In 1782, webster was appointed to a teaching position in goshen, new york, and there he began to test many of his educational theories and incorporate them into a book. Webster made important contributions to an american educational system which kept the nation on a christian constitutional course for many years. He believed fervently in the developing cultural independence of the united states. He was born at west hartford, connecticut, on the 16th of october 1758. Webster grew up in an average colonial family his father farmed and worked as a weaver, while his mother worked at home. The first challenges to the phonetic approach to reading in the united states came from people like benjamin franklin and noah webster during the founding period. Kendall the connecticut webster on slavery by joshua kendall, author of the forgotten founding father. Noah webster was born on october 16, 1758 in the west division of hartford, connecticut now west hartford. Click download or read online button to get noah webster s early american history book now. Noah and nathan hale were at yale at the same time. Webster s school dictionaries, his fourvolume elements of useful knowledge 1802, 1804, 1806, 1812, his biography, for the use of schools 1830, his history of the united states 1832, and his manual of useful studies 1839 introduced many topics that would later evolve into school staples.
Noah webster 1758 1843, was a lexicographer and a language reformer. Noah websters dictionaryreform philosophy the atlantic. In 1783 american lexicographer, textbook pioneer, english spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author noah webster issued from hartford, connecticut the first volume of a grammatical institute of the english language, consisting of a speller 1783, a grammar first published in 1784, and a reader first published in 1785. The connecticut webster on slavery by joshua kendall. Noah webster s 1828 american dictionary of the english language was produced during the years when the american home, church and school were established upon a biblical and patriotic basis. Noah webster on morality, culture and the bible self. His speller of 1794 had a federal catechism and was the first text to educate americans in the form of our government. He is often called the father of american scholarship and education. But it was his work as a teacher and an education reformerwork he realized in large part through his bestselling bluebacked spellerthat also earned him his reputation as father of american law. In 1783, webster published volume 1 of a grammatical institute of the english language a. Though the eloquent statesman hated slavery, he sought to eradicate this evil without destroying the. Noah webster, an examination into the leading principles of the federal constitution, 1787, a pamphlet aimed at swaying pennsylvania toward ratification, in paul ford, ed. Goodrich, in the quarto editions of the dictionary, also noah webster 1882, by horace e.
Born in west hartford, connecticut, webster earned undergraduate and masters degrees from yale university, taught school, and then studied law at litchfield law. It was these experiences in primary school that incited him to improve the education system in america, for the future. Washington times noah webster the life and times of an american patriot more than a lexicographer, webster was a teacher, philosopher, author, essayist, orator, political leader, public official. All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the bible. Noah webster books list of books by author noah webster. More information about this seller contact this seller 50. Born in west hartford, connecticut in 1758, noah webster came of age during the american revolution and was a strong advocate of the constitutional convention. Items of note among the writings of noah webster include webster s manuscript draft of the printed circular of february 25 1807, addressed to the friends of literature in the united states. See all books authored by noah webster, including noah webster s first edition of an american dictionary of the english language american christian history education series, and the original blue back speller vocabulary of a warrior, and more on. Noah webster but when thou findest sensibility of heart, joined with softness of manners, an accomplished mind, and religion, united with sweetness of temper, modest deportment, and a love of domestic life. Webster was instrumental in giving american english. Unger has done a fine job reintroducing him to a new generation of americans. He has been called the father of american scholarship and education. He also published governor john winthrops journal in 1790, and wrote a history of the united states, of which a revised edition appeared in 1839.
Skip to main content this banner text can have markup. I gave it four stars because this copy on kindle is poorly formatted. Rare book holdings noah webster books amherst college. Noah webster, american lexicographer one who compiles a dictionary, remembered now almost solely as the compiler of a continuously successful dictionary, was for half a century among the more influential and most active literary men in the united states. Noah webster simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Noah webster strongly believed in developing the cultural independence of the united states, a chief component of which was to be a distinctive american language with its own idiom, pronunciation, and style. Noah webster was a very learned and devout man, and his ideas about language in his long. Websters american dictionary of the english language. An american dictionary of the english language 1848 edition online. This book was originally published prior to 1923, and represents a reproduction of an importanthistorical work. Noah webster had a vision for educating all americans, and posterity, in principles of liberty. To which is prefixed a brief historical account of our english ancestors, from the dispersion at babel, to their migration to america, and of the conquest of south america, by the spaniards, p.
Noah webster was an american lexicographer, journalist, textbook author, and spelling reformer. In his lifetime he was also a lawyer, schoolmaster, author, newspaper editor and an outspoken politician. Webster, noah, 17581843, american lexicographer and philologist, b. They wanted to reform english spelling partly in order to iron out some of the languages irregularities. It is not surprising, therefore, that the 1828 american. This advertisement described webster s work in gathering material for the dictionary and also the financial burden it entailed. Noah webster on education and the bible selfeducated. The james madison research library and information center.
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