“A national language is a band of national union” (Webster)

• American independence (1776) was seen by Webster as an opportunity to get rid of the linguistic influence of Britain

• The new nation needed new language with a fresh identity

• In 1789 Webster proposed the institution of an “American standard”

• It was a matter of honour as an independent nation to have “a system of our own, in language as well as government”

• There was a popular perception in America that British English was too corrupt and in a state of decline