The Bible in Early American
Education and Public Life

The First Bible Printed for Schools in America

• The very first complete Bible printed in the American colonies was the Algonquin-language “Eliot Indian Bible,” produced in 1663 by missionary John Eliot, not in English and not specifically for schools1.

• The first Bible printed in English in America was the 1782 “Aitken Bible,” published by Robert Aitken in Philadelphia. Due to Revolutionary War import shortages, Aitken sought Congressional approval, which he received, but it was not a government project. Although Aitken promoted its use in schools, Congress itself did not recommend it for educational purposes—this was a suggestion from the publisher, not an official mandate12.

The Development of Bible
Use in American Education

Colonial and Early National Practices

• Central Text in Early Schools: From colonial times through the mid-1800s, the Bible was the most influential textbook in American education. Parents, tutors, or pastors commonly used the Bible as a primer for teaching reading and moral development at home or in local schools3456.

• The New England Primer: Published first in 1690, this textbook used biblical scripture and Christian catechism to teach reading, spelling, and values, becoming the standard for generations in New England and widely across the colonies46.

• Legal Mandates: Laws such as the Massachusetts Law of 1642 and the “Old Deluder Satan Act” of 1647 required towns to establish schools to teach children to read the Bible and know the colony’s laws, emphasizing literacy for religious and civic life78.

Reasons for Bible-Centric Education

• Spiritual Motivation: Puritans and other colonial Christians viewed Bible literacy as essential for salvation and virtue; reading scripture was considered both a spiritual and civic duty367.

• Social Cohesion: The founders believed that a moral, educated populace—rooted in biblical principles—was necessary for the self-governance and success of the new republic38.

• Universal Education: Early laws and philosophies (notably those of Benjamin Rush and other founders) explicitly linked widespread Bible reading with public happiness, wisdom, and civic order3.

Religious Tests and Officeholding in the Thirteen Colonies

• Religious Oaths: It was common in all original 13 colonies to require a declaration of Christian faith—or, at minimum, belief in God—to hold public office. This practice continued after independence, with most state constitutions mandating religious oaths for civil officeholders until the late 18th and 19th centuries91011.

• Details by Colony:

  • Several states, such as Georgia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Vermont, required officials to affirm Protestant Christianity.

  • Others, including Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, allowed any Christian, regardless of denomination.

  • Only Virginia and (in practice) New York avoided explicit Christian oaths, although New York still used statutory restrictions that limited Catholic participation well into the next century91110.

  • Officeholding was not available to Jews, Catholics (in some states), or non-Christians in colonial times and the early republic10.

  • These requirements reflected the prevailing idea that trustworthy leadership depended on adherence to Christian moral principles.

Conclusion

The Bible’s role in American education and public life was profound and foundational. Early American schooling was largely religious, centering on literacy to enable scripture reading and build virtuous citizens. The legal and customary requirements for public officials to be Christian reflect the Christian orientation of colonial society and early state governments, even as American civil society gradually developed religious tolerance and government neutrality toward specific religious tests3916.

The 1782 Aitken Bible
and Its Textual Basis

The 1782 “Aitken Bible,” published by Robert Aitken in Philadelphia, was indeed based on the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible.

Key Evidence

• Textual Source: Multiple sources identify the Aitken Bible as a printing of the King James Version. It was the first complete Bible in English printed in America, created during the Revolutionary War when imported English Bibles were unattainable due to embargoes and war conditions123456.

• Congressional Review: The edition was reviewed for accuracy by congressional chaplains, who confirmed its faithfulness to the Bible text—specifically referencing the English (i.e., KJV) standard used at that time7894.

• Physical Evidence: Pages from original and preserved Aitken Bibles display the characteristic KJV text, and institutions explicitly refer to these leaves as being from a King James Version Bible printed in 1782 by Aitken3104.

Additional Notes

• The 1782 Aitken Bible omitted the Apocrypha, a choice common among KJV editions printed for Protestant use in that era5.

• This Bible is often called the “Bible of the Revolution” because it was small, portable, and notably the only Bible to receive an official Congressional endorsement1211.

• The production marked an important literary and religious milestone for American independence, allowing colonists to access the familiar KJV text apart from British printing monopolies1296.

Summary:
The 1782 Aitken Bible was the first complete English Bible printed in America and was unequivocally based on the King James Version text12346.

The Aitken’s 1782 Bible relied directly on the King James Version (KJV) text. It was the first complete English Bible printed in America and is universally described as an edition of the KJV. Multiple sources clearly state this:

• The 1782 Aitken Bible is identified as a King James Version by historians, libraries, and auction records23461112.

• The title pages and physical specimens of the Bible match the KJV text, and the work is consistently cataloged as such in academic and institutional references312.

• During the Revolution, Aitken undertook the project specifically because English Bibles could no longer be imported, and the KJV was the established and expected scriptural standard for English-speaking Americans at the time128.

Although Aitken’s title page included the customary phrase describing it as translated from the original tongues and “diligently compared and revised,” this was standard language carried over from the KJV tradition and not indicative of a new translation7.

Summary:
The Aitken Bible is directly and exclusively based on the King James Version, with no evidence of significant modification or use of alternate sources2361112.