1. DRIVE – The Drive of Noah Webster
Writing textbooks on specific subjects was one thing. Writing a dictionary and defining every word in the English language was quite another. As Noah saw it, understanding and using the cor- rect definitions of words was no small thing. When words are misunderstood or misused, they cause problems far beyond the classroom. “The evils proceeding from the improper use of words,” he wrote, “are greater than men generally suppose. It is believed that a misapplication of terms, or the use of indefinite terms, some- times leads to serious mistakes both in religion and government.” Noah began writing his dictionary not long after America won its independence from the British. At this time, his newly formed nation was figuring out its new identity and how it would govern itself. Its citizens and founders were debating these issues at length. Although they didn’t always agree on the best solutions, they all agreed on one thing: they were done with the British iden- tity and government. They were Americans! Many felt a new national language would go a long way toward forging a new national identity. Noah agreed, writ-
ing “As an independent nation, our honor requires us to have a system of our own language as well as in government.”
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