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Noah Webster Spelled Out UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-2000 Noah Webster spelled out Barbara Youngblood University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Youngblood, Barbara, "Noah Webster spelled out" (2000). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 1178. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/ve0w-g0z5 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy subm itted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a rx>te will indicate the deletion. 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NOAH WEBSTER SPELLED OUT by Barbara Youngblcnxl Bachelor of Arts University of Nevada, Las Vegas 1999 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts Degree Department of Political Science College of Liberal Arts Graduate College University of Nevada Las Vegas August 2000 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 1401774 Copyright 2000 by Youngblood, Barbara All rights reserved. UMI UMI Microform 1401774 Copyright 2001 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Leaming Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Aitor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. © 2000 Barbara Youngblood all rights reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Thesis Approval UNIV The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas August 21 ________ 20 00 The Thesis prepared by Barbara Youngblood Entitled Noah Webster Spelled Out is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts ________ tination Committee Chair Dean of the Uraduate College Examinatian/lommiuie Member Examinatio Graduate CMege Faculty Représentât PR/lOir-5'i/l-flO U Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT NOAH WEBSTER SPELLED OUT by Barbara Youngblood Dr. Jerry Simich, Examination Committee Chair Professor of Political Science University of Nevada, Las Vegas My research o f Noah Webster, his moral beliefs, his religious conversion, his political persuasions, and his voluminous writings, has indisputably revealed that Webster intended to shape the entire American nation through his writings and through its public education system. Relying primarily on Webster's early works and his dictionary (1828), I discovered his strong convictions against slavery, his promotion of formal education for women, his moral biases, his political character, and his ardent support for an independent American republic. The thesis that evolved is developed in five chapters beginning with a characterization of Webster in Chapter One, describing his profound patriotism and his bookish nature. Chapter Two investigates Webster’s ideology; Chapter Three in^jarts his influence on American education and culture; Chapter Four communicates his timely and universal thoughts; Chapter Five reveals Webster’s innate abilities and application o f eflective methods to achieve his ends. Within each chapter, original word entries to include the entire alphabet were selected fi'om Webster’s 1828American Dictionary o f the English Language to reveal the culture o f his time, to convey the extensive influence o f Webster's writings, and to express the heart and mind o f the man himself. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................üi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.........................................................................................................vi CHRONOLOGY........................................................................................................................vü INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1 CHARACTERISTICS....................................................................................1 American..................................................................................................................................1 Bookish.................................................................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 2 IDEOLOGY.....................................................................................................9 Constitution.............................................................................................................................9 Democracy............................................................................................................................12 Education .............................................................................................................................. 14 Federalist ............................................................................................................................... 17 Government.......................................................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER 3 INFLUENCE ................................................................................................ 23 History..................................................................................................................................23 Intellect.................................................................................................................................25 Journalist.............................................................................................................................. 27 “K”, the Letter..................................................................................................................... 28 Law....................................................................................................................................... 30 M orality............................................................................................................................... 33 Nationalism..........................................................................................................................34 CHAPTER 4 THOUGHTS ................................................................................................. 37 Opinion................................................................................................................................ 37 People...................................................................................................................................39 Quotation..............................................................................................................................41 Religion................................................................................................................................ 43 School.................................................................................................................................. 46 T each..................................................................................................................................
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