The New England Primer


                 If there are a collection of traits that
          reflect an "American " character, many of them, both
          positive and negative, were shaped in the Puritan colonies
          of New England.   Because they believed that each soul was
          responsible for its own salvation, the Puritans cherished
          independence.  No one -- priest or pastor -- ought to stand
          between the individual and God.  But because the path to
          heaven was narrow and difficult, and that "old deluder,
          Satan," lurked at every turn, Puritans required spiritual
          guidance.  The Bible showed the way.  Puritans, therefore,
          valued education.  Through reading the Bible and thinking,
          independence was assurred, because the individual would
          never have to rely on someone else for her/his knowledge of
          the Scriptures.
                   On the other hand, too much independence
          could lead to free thought and, thereby, the destruction of
          the community.  So the Puritans put into practice what
          Tocqueville would later call the "tyranny of the majority"
          to force conformity to accepted community values.
          "Teachers" were chosen by the Puritan congregations to show
          the faithful how to find the way to God, and to tell them
          what they ought to be thinking for themselves along the
          route.   This was the original purpose of the New England
          Primer.   It taught children how to read, but it also taught
          them what to think.
                   Though its author is unknown, the first
          edition of the Primer, (the first, or primary  book in a
          child's education), appeared probably about 1690.  Though
          other instruction, (or catechism), books had been published
          previously, none was as popular.  This little book, usually
          bound in leather for long life, became the schoolbook of the
          New England colonies until after the American Revolution.
          During this hundred-year period, over 3 million copies were
          sold.  This is an impressive number, considering that in
          1776 the population of the entire thirteen colonies was only
          two and one-half million.
                   Along with learning the alphabet,
          children were expected to repeat exactly the answers of the
          catechism, and so were drilled in it daily.
                   While reading through the edited version
          that follows, try to answer these questions:  What values
          and beliefs were being taught along with the ABC's?  And,
          why do you think the New England Primer was so popular?
 
 
 

                                     The New England Primer

                         An Alphabet of lessons for Youth

                A In Adam's Fall, We Sinned all.
                B Thy Life to Mend, this Book Attend.
                C The Cat doth play and after slay.
                D A Dog will bite a Thief at night.
                E An Eagle's flight is out of sight.
                F The Idle Fool is whipt at School.
                G As runs the Glass, Man's life doth pass.
                H My Book and Heart shall never part.
                J Job feels the Rod, yet blesses GOD.
                K Our KING the good, no man of blood.
                L The Lion bold, the Lamb doth hold.
                M The Moon gives light in time of night.
                N Nightingales sing in time of Spring.
                O The Royal Oak was the Tree that saved His
                      Royal Majestie.
                P Peter denies His Lord and cries.
                Q Queen Esther comes in Royal State to save
                        the Jews from dismal Fate.
                R Rachel doth mourn for
                       her first born.
                S Samuel anoints whom God appoints.
                T Time cuts down all both great and small.
                U Uria's beauteous Wife made David seek his
                       Life.
                W Whales in the Sea, God's Voice obey.
                X Xerxes the great did die, And so must you
                       & I.
                Y Youth forward slips, Death soonest nips.
                Z Zacheus he did climb the Tree, His Lord
                     to see.
 
 
 

                                  The Dutiful Child's Promises
 

           I will fear GOD and honor the King
           I will honor my Father & Mother.
           I will Obey my Superiors.
           I will Submit to my Elders.
           I will hate no Man.
           I will forgive my Enemies, and pray to God for them.
           I will keep all God's Holy Commandments.
           I will learn my Catechism.
           I will keep the Lord's Day Holy.
           I will Reverence God's Sanctuary.

                                   Duty of Children Towards Their Parentws
 

             God hath commanded saying, Honor thy Father and
          Mother, and whoso curseth Father or Mother, let
          him die the Death.
                        Matthew, 15:4

            The Eye that mocketh his Father, and despiseth
          the Instruction of his Mother, let the Ravens of
          the Valley pluck it out, and the young Eagles eat it.
            Whoso curseth his Father or his Mother, his Lamp
          shall be put out in obscure Darkness.
                        Proverbs, 20:20

                                           The Shorter Catechism

          Q. What is the Chief End of Man?
          A.    Man's chief End is to Glorify God, and to
          Enjoy Him forever.
          Q.    What Rule has God given to direct us how we
          may glorify and enjoy Him?
          A.   The Word of God which is contained in the
          Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is the
          only Rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.
          Q.    What is God?
          A.    God is a Spirit, Infinite, Eternal, and
          Unchangeable, in His Being, Wisdom, Power,
          Holiness, Justice, Goodness and Truth.
          Q.    Are there more Gods than One?
          A.    There is but ONE only, and living and true
          God.
          Q.    How did God create men?
          A.   God created Man Male and Female, after his
          own Image, in Knowledge, Righteousness, and
          Holiness, with Dominion over the Creatures.
          Q.   What Special Act of Providence did God
          exercise towards Man in the Estate wherein he
          was created?
          A. When God had created Man, He entered into a
          Covenant of Life with him,   upon condition of perfect
          Obedience, forbidding him to Eat of the Tree of   knowledge
          of good and evil upon pain of Death.
          Q.   Did our first Parents continue in the estate
          wherein they were created?
          A. Our first Parents being left to the freedom of
          their own Will, fell from the   estate wherein they were
          created, by sinning against God.
          Q. What is sin?
          A. Sin is any want of Conformity unto, or
          Transgression of the Law of God.
          Q. What was the Sin whereby our first Parents fell
          from the estate wherein they      were created?
          A. The Sin was their eating the forbidden fruit.
          Q. Did all Mankind fall in Adam's first
          transgression?
          A. The Covenant, being made with Adam, not only
          for himself but for his   Posterity, all Mankind, descending
          from him by ordinary Generation,   sinned in him, and fell
          with him in his first transgression.
          Q. Into what estate did the Fall bring Mankind?
          A. The Fall brought Mankind into an estate of Sin
          and Misery.
          Q. What is the Misery of that estate whereinto Man
          fell?
          A. All Mankind, by their fall, lost Communion with
          God, are under his Wrath   and Curse, and so made liable to
          all Miseries in this Life, to Death itself, and
          to the pains of Hell forever.
          Q.   Did God leave all Mankind to perish in the
          estate of Sin and Misery?
          A. God, elected some to everlasting Life, and did
          enter into a Covenant of  Grace, to deliver
          them out of the state of Sin and Misery, and to bring
          them into a  state of Salvation by a Redeemer.
          Q. Who is the Redeemer of God's Elect?
          A. The only Redeemer of God's Elect is the Lord
          Jesus Christ.
          Q. What benefits do Believers receive from Christ
          at their Death?
          A. The Souls of Believers are at their Death made
          perfect in Holiness, and do   immediately pass into Glory,
          and their Bodies being still united to Christ,
          do rest in their Graves till the Resurrection.
          Q.   What benefits do Believers receive from
          Christ at the Resurrection?
          A. At the Resurrection Believers being raised up
          to Glory, shall be openly   acknowledged and acquitted in
          the Day of Judgment, and made perfectly   blessed in full
          enjoying of God, to all eternity.
 

      *From The New England Primer:  A History of Its
          Origin and Development, Paul Leicester, Ford, ed.  Dodd,
          Mead & Co., (New York: 1897).
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
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Revised February 14, 2005
by Tom Gallup, e-mail address: tom_gallup@westvalley.edu
West Valley College
http://www.westvalley.edu/wvc/ss/gallup/gallup.html