As the revolutionary war was ending in 1783, a former soldier in that conflict named noah webster published a book that was to have an enormous influence on american culture. His goal was to provide a uniquely american, christcentered approach to training children. Noah webster october 16, 1758 may 28, 1843 was an american educator, lexicographer, textbook pioneer, english spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author. Both websters blue backed speller pdf websters bluebacked spellerwebsters bluebacked speller is the popular name, derived from the blue paper covers, of noah websters. His little bluebacked speller sold nearly 100 million copies in his lifetime. And then, working for twentyfive years, alone and by hand, noah webster produced his dictionary seventy thousand words, including. I was narvous and afeard theyd bile for an etarnity and arterwards thered be.
This barcode number lets you verify that youre getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. Links to websters speller and other spellers are at don potters spelling book page. Appropriate for any grade level, its an effective tool for teaching basic phonics skills and. Note on microsoft word pdf note on microsoft word pdf note on microsoft word pdf download. Websters bluebacked speller is the popular name, derived from the blue paper covers, of noah websters elementary spelling book, published continuously since 1783 under several titles.
He has been called the father of american scholarship and education. Websters bluebacked spellerwebsters bluebacked speller is the popular name, derived from the blue paper covers, of noah websters. Income fromthe speller supported webster while he worked on his dictionary. Because it was usually printed with a blue cover, it soon became known as the blue back speller. It was the first of a threevolume collection originally titled a grammatical institute of the english language. Today every classroom, school district, and municipality use a multitude of reading, spelling, and language arts curriculum, that can be costly and seldom aligned.
Noah webster simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This speller, known as the bluebacked speller because of its blue binding, became widely used in american schools for a long time. Green let me consider yes, green becomes my complexion best, and green it shall be. In 1787, noah webster wrote that the subject of education had already been exhausted by. Along with websters dictionary, these books were widely used as. Buy a cheap copy of websters bluebacked speller and new. His bluebacked speller books taught five generations of american children how to spell and read, secularizing their education. Even though webster meant for his speller to be used to teach children how to read phonics, we recommend that you use one of the more modern phonics curricula to teach reading. Because it gave young americans a solid foundation in reading, phonics, and spelling. In this dress i will go to the fair, where all the young fellows will strive to have me for a partner.
Speller definition is a person who spells words especially in a certain way. Issue 15, 2018 founded by betty debnam our first edition. October 16, 1758 may 28, 1843, was the author of a famous american dictionary, a pioneer of spelling, and a political writer and editor. The original bluebacked speller was published in 1783 as the first in a three volume compendium called a grammatical institute of the english language by noah webster. From noah websters american spelling book, better known as the. Don worked several years typing and editing websters 1908 elementary spelling book for use today. It contributed, by the authors design, toward the establishment of an american english. Page 84 i cannot fail of having money enough to purchase a new gown. And with that i give you a peek at this dear old book, the american speller. The great american educator noah webster first published a grammatical institute of the english language, otherwise known as the blue back speller, in 1783. Websters bluebacked speller 1783, his reader 1785, and his. Webster also thought american children should have american textbooks. Over eighty million copies were sold, and as late as 1866 annual sales of the bluebacked speller were over nine million.
You wont need to change anything in this file, but you should understand it nonetheless. In its earliest editions, the speller often comprised the en tire school curriculum. Both websters bluebacked spelling book and the new england primer were basic, foundational textbooks used in the schools of our republic in the 18th. Notice how, by way of getrusage, well be benchmarking i.
An adaptation of noah websters bluebacked speller by noah webster and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. If americans had yet no common heritage, they would have a common speech, just as every englishman as george orwell later noted. For some audio and video files to help you understand how to use websters speller, you can watch 40ls 6. The blue back speller was the foundation of american literacy. The bluebacked speller became the backbone of literacy and a spine of american democracy because real. The bluebacked speller forgotten intellectual legacy of the american revolution. Webster added a grammar in 1784 and a reader in 1785.
Websters speller begins with two sections entitled analysis of sounds in the english language and key to the pronunciation. Websters bluebacked speller and new england primer by hearthstone publishing, december 1, 1999, hearthstone publishing, ltd. His bluebacked speller books taught five generations of american children how to. His dictionary was first published in 1828 as an american dictionary of the english language. At home noah websters an american dictionary of the english language 1828 included hundreds of words of local origin to be incorporated in the former kings english.
Hence, noah webster s monumental 1828 american dictionary of the english language is a work of great importance to modern readers who care about traditional values. This was not webster s famous dictionary, which didnt arrive on the scene until 1828. The purpose of this book was be used to educate children in an american form of english spelling and pronunciation. Of this free pdf document for noncommercial educational purposes. It was a textbook that helped kids learn to read, spell and pronounce words. An adaptation of noah websters bluebacked speller, illustrated by barbara cooney, 1960. His father had mortgaged the farm to send webster to yale, but he was now on his own and had nothing more to do with his family. In 1783, he finished a grammatical institute of the english language, which got the nickname the bluebacked speller. The bluebacked speller forgotten intellectual legacy of the american revolution as the revolutionary war was ending in 1783, a former soldier in that conflict named noah webster published a book that was to have an enormous influence on american culture. The united states of america as a historical case study diane ravitch.
The founding documents of the united states of america are contemporary with this 1828 dictionary, as are many other important books and documents of that time. Who wrote a series of textbooks between 1836 and 1857. Microsoft word 2010 is a wordprocessing program, designed to help. Editions of the original blue back speller by noah webster. The urban act grant will go a long way to make repairs to websters circa 1747 childhood home and the adjoining museum, which for 50 years has. Beyond the blue backed speller and an american dictionary of the english language, webster is responsible for creating the american english we still use and enjoy today. Webster s 1828 american dictionary of the english language. Here is a link to a pdf version of dons webster spelling book method for the twentyfirst century. His bluebacked speller books taught five generations of american children how to spell and read, and made their education more. In the 1700s and early 1800s, reading was often taught with websters blue backed speller. The most famous of these was noah websters the american spelling book,affectionately called the bluebacked speller, which over a period of about thirty years became one of the bestselling.
Websters famous bluebacked speller sold in the tens of millions. Websters bluebacked speller, published in 1783, the geography textbooks of jedidiah morse, and the eclectic readers of william holmes mcguffey. After working through the speller, learning to sound out and spell words syllable by syllable, children were able to read well enough to read from the king james version of the bible, and often used the psalms as early reading texts. Websters bluebacked speller and new england primer. This was not websters famous dictionary, which didnt arrive on the scene until 1828. October 16, 1758 may 28, 1843 was an american lexicographer, textbook pioneer, englishlanguage spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author. Little did he know that this remarkable little gem would become the staple for parents and educators. Both webster s bluebacked spelling book and the new england primer were basic, foundational textbooks used in the schools of our republic in the 18th. Koch when the widder biled the taters, cowcumbers and yerbs raly stiddily on yender fire by the chimbly, she left them unkivered. Both websters bluebacked spelling book and the new england primer were basic, foundational textbooks used in the schools of our republic in.
When noah webster first published his bluebacked speller more than 150 years ago, it was an instant success. October 16, 1758 may 28, 1843, was a lexicographer, textbook pioneer, englishlanguage spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author. Which provides people with noah webster blue backed speller pdf the ability to make notes and changes to a. Noah webster academic dictionaries and encyclopedias. Websters speller is a system of english orthography in the true sense. The public schools american dictionary of the english language 1828was the banner under which americanization marched. It was read by nearly every american who could read. Youll find the same holds true of this updated edition of websters classic. The bluebacked speller forgotten intellectual legacy of.
806 836 693 1012 237 1179 1392 37 114 357 543 1158 1433 921 988 140 623 127 311 1060 1159 1283 845 565 803 993 66 593 797 535 1402 1270 1475 854 1301 1171 547 1461 908 1360 251 835 667 1428