In 1806 a man named Noah Webster published Websters dictionary. His work became so widely used that people began referring to all dictionaries as Websters dictionary.
Websters dictionary was the brain child of Noah, as stated – he was born on 1758 in Connecticut. His family had lived there since colonial times. His dad farmed. John Webster, Connecticut’s former governor, was one of his ancestors. Noah’s mother could trace her roots back to the governor of Plymouth colony.
At the age of 16 Noah began studies at Yale. The American Revolution was in full swing at the time. He served in the Connecticut militia which could have gotten him killed, thus stopping Websters dictionary before it had ever been started.
When he was 20 Webster wanted to earn a law degree. Like many people he took up teaching to earn money for school. But once he became a lawyer he realized it wasn’t for him. He once again became a teacher. He set up small schools that didn’t do well.
In 1789 he marred a fairly prominent woman. He walked in high social circles but didn’t have much money. He borrowed $1500 from Alexander Hamilton so that he could move to New York City to start a newspaper. He began to publish. This was the real start for Websters dictionary. He wrote a great deal and he published text books. He also became a state senator in 1798.
He realized the conditions in the schools were poor. Students of different ages were packed into overcrowded rooms. Teachers had little training. They taught without much in the way of books or other materials. Webster decided to create American books to teach American children. So he created a speller, a grammar book and a reader. His goal was to rescue American English from what he called the pedantry of English grammar and pronunciation. He believed that the people, not archaic languages like a Latin and Greek, should control the language.
It was this work that led him to the eventual creation of the first Websters dictionary. Over time that original work was revised. And when Webster died the Merriam brothers purchased the rights to his name and his work. Today most dictionaries use the term Webster because it’s so well known.
Now you know the history of Websters dictionary.