Noah Webster

**Noah Webster, Jr.** (October 16, 1758 – May 28, 1843), was the author of a famous American dictionary, a pioneer of spelling, and a political writer and editor. In the 1790s he was the editor of a Federalist Party newspaper. His "Blue-backed Speller" books taught five generations of American children how to spell and read. He made enough money from it to write his dictionary, first published in 1828 as _An American Dictionary of the English Language_.

## Copyright

Webster worried that his _Grammatical Institute_ might be pirated. He had to seek copyright protection from each state.  At last, on May 31, 1790, President George Washington signed the United States’ first general copyright act into law. Later, Webster lobbied for an extended copyright law. He wrote “By this bill the term of copy-right is secured for 28 years, with the right of renewal … for 14 years more.  If this should become law, I shall be much benefited.”  The new federal copyright law was passed and remained in effect until 1909.

### The Blue-backed Speller

- 1783 as the first part of the _Grammatical Institute of the English language_.
- 1786 as _The American Spelling Book, containing the rudiments of the English language, for the use of schools in the United States_.
- 1829 as _The Elementary Spelling Book_.
385 'editions' (mostly reprints) in his lifetime; by 1837 15 million copies sold; by 1890 60 million copies sold.

### The Dictionary

- 1806 A first attempt was published as _A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language_.
- 1828 The first edition of his famous _An American Dictionary of the English Language_; second edition in 1840 in two volumes. The first edition sold only 2,500 copies.

### Other publications

- 1785. _Sketches of American policy_.
- 1790. _A collection of essays and fugitive writings on moral, historical, politics and literary subjects_.
- 1789. _Dissertations_.
- 1793. _The effects of slavery on morals and industry_. In two volumes.
- 1799. _A brief history of epidemic and pestilential diseases_.
- 1800. _A Grammatical Institute of the English Language_. In three parts, part II is the grammar.
- 1802. _Letters to a young gentleman concerning his education_.
- 1802. _Miscellaneous papers on political and commercial subjects_.
- 1832. _History of the United States_.
- 1833. _A dictionary for primary schools_.
- 1834. _Value of the Bible and Excellence of the Christian Religion_
- 1839. _Observations on language, and on the errors of class-books_.

## Further reading

- Baron, Dennis E. 1982. _Grammar and good taste: reforming the American Language_. New Haven: Yale University Press.
- Dillard J.L. 1992. _A history of American English_. New York: Longman 1992.
- Fodde Melis, Luisanna 2005. _Noah Webster and the first American dictionary. Rosen, New York.
- Simpson, David. 1986. _The politics of American English, 17761850_. Oxford University Press.
- Unger, Harlow Giles 1998. _Noah Webster: the life and times of an American patriot_.
- Webster, Noah. 1989 _The autobiographies of Noah Webster_. Edited by Richard M. Rollins. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press.

### Webster on the web

- Webster, Noah. _The American spelling book: containing the rudiments of the English language for the use of schools in the United States by Noah Webster_ 1836 edition online, the famous 'Blue-backed Speller'
- Webster, Noah. _An American dictionary of the English language_ 1848 edition online
- Webster, Noah. _A grammatical institute of the English language_ 1800 edition online
- Webster, Noah. _Miscellaneous papers on political and commercial subjects_ 1802 edition online mostly about banks
- Webster, Noah. _ A collection of essays and fugitiv writings: on moral, historical, political and literary subjects'' 1790 edition online 414 pages

## Infobox (person)

- **birthname**: Noah Webster, Jr.
- **image**: Noah Webster pre-1843 IMG_4412.JPG
- **image size**: 230px
- **caption**: Webster at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
- **birth place**: West Hartford, Connecticut, West Hartford, Connecticut, United States, USA
- **resting place**: Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven, Connecticut, New Haven, Connecticut
- **occupation**: Lexicographer; Author

Connecticut House of Representatives, Connecticut state representative
- **spouse**: Rebecca Greenleaf Webster
- **children**: Eight children
New York City
New Haven, Connecticut
- **party**: Federalist Party (United States), Federalist
- **alma mater**: Yale University