A Colonial Merchant: The Ledger of William Ramsay

Alexandria, VA 1753-1756

Artifact: Royal Primer

Royal Primmer (Primer)

Materials: Book

Dimensions:

Date: 1776

Origin: London

Collection: University of California Libraries

License: Public Domain

Ledger Entry: Royal Primmer (Primer)

Royal Primmer (Primer)

Department: Literacy

Customer: Thomas Self

Ledger Page: 222

Imported From: In the mid eighteenth century primers would have been imported from England. The New England Primer, the first primer printed in the colonies, was not published until the end of the century.

Product Description

Primers were basic level educational books that contained topics such as the alphabet, syllables, and basic grammar lessons as well as religious content. They taught basic reading skills through sample sentences and standard prayers.

Citation: Monaghan, Jennifer E. Learning to Read and Write in Colonial America: Literacy Instruction and Acquisition in a Cultural Context. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2005.; Daniel Hahn. "Books of instruction." In The Oxford Companion to Children’s Literature. Oxford University Press, 2015.

Historical Price: 6 pence; Modern USD: $5.6

Product Variations

The databases record six purchases of primers; four of these are unspecified primers and two are Royal Primers. The prices range from three pence to four shillings.