Trinity, and the Lord’s Prayer. Some had a pictured alphabet.
The first reading primer designed for the American colo-
nies was the New England Primer. First published in Boston
around 1690, it was the most prominent schoolbook for
about one hundred years, selling over five million copies. It
taught the alphabet with a rhyme, such as this example from
a 1777 Primer:
A In Adam’s Fall
We sinned all.
B Heaven to find
The Bible Mind.
C Christ crucify’d
For sinners dy’d.
D The Deluge drown’d
The Earth around... 3
Noah Webster’s “Blue Backed Speller” would become the
most influential textbook of the era after its publication in
1783. Selling over 100 million copies during the next centu-
ry, its premise was that “God’s word, contained in the Bible,
has furnished all necessary rules to direct our conduct.” It
included a moral catechism, large portions of the Sermon
on the Mount, a paraphrase of the Genesis account of
creation, and numerous moral stories. Students would read
such things as the following:
• “God will forgive those who repent of their sins and live
a holy life.”
• “Examine the Scriptures daily and carefully, and set an
example of good works.” 4
First published in 1836, The McGuffey Readers shaped
national morals and thinking more than any other books
besides the Bible. Written by minister and professor William
Holmes McGuffey, they sold over 122 million copies in
A Colonial Hornbook. The Lord’s Prayer was the first reading lesson.
21