Oath of a Freeman facts for kids

The "Oath of a Freeman" was a special promise of loyalty. All new members of the Massachusetts Bay Colony had to take this oath in the 1630s. It was meant to show their support for the colony's government.

In 1985, a document claiming to be an original printing of this oath appeared. People thought it was the oldest surviving printed item in the United States. However, it was later found to be a fake made by a forger named Mark Hofmann.

First Printing of the Oath

The "Oath of a Freeman" was a promise to obey the colony's government. It also meant promising not to work against it. Unlike other oaths in England, this one did not mention the King. This made it a truly American document.

The first known version of the oath was written by hand in 1631. John Winthrop, who was the Governor of Massachusetts Bay, wrote it. Governor Winthrop noted in his diary that the "Oath" was the "first thing" printed by Stephen Daye. This happened in 1638 or 1639.

Stephen Daye was an English locksmith. He sailed to Boston in 1638. He came with a Puritan religious leader who had secretly brought a printing press on board the ship. The religious leader and his printer died during the journey. Daye and his sons then took the press. They set up the Cambridge Press in Boston. This was the first printing company in America.

Before 1638, all printed materials in America came from England. They had to be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean. The oldest American printed item found before 1985 was the Bay Psalm Book. Stephen Daye printed this book in 1640. Daye's printing of the "Oath" had not been seen since 1647. Many collectors in New England hoped to find one someday.

What the Oath Said

The "Oath of a Freeman" was a serious promise. When people took it, they agreed to be loyal to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. They promised to follow its laws and support its leaders.

The 1631 version of the oath asked people to agree to be part of the colony. They promised to obey the Governor and other leaders. They also said they would follow all laws and rules. People swore to help the colony stay peaceful and strong. They promised to use their skills to protect it. They also agreed to report any plans that could harm the colony or its leaders. This included telling authorities about any rebellion or betrayal they heard about. They promised not to support any changes to the government that went against its laws.

A later version from 1634 was used for the first printed copy in 1639. This was the first document printed in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This version also had people promise to be loyal and true. They swore to support the government with their own lives and property. They also promised to protect the colony's freedoms and rights. When it was time to vote, they swore to choose what they believed was best for everyone.

The Forgery of the 20th Century

The "Oath of a Freeman" was very important. It showed a break from the English monarchy. It was also believed to be the first document printed in America. Because of this, many people were very interested in it.

In 1985, a dealer of rare documents named Mark Hofmann said he had found a copy of the "Oath." He claimed he found it in a New York bookstore. Hofmann's copy of the "Oath" was offered for sale. The Library of Congress and the American Antiquarian Society were interested. The asking price was US$1.5 million. Hofmann also sold other fake copies of the Oath to private buyers.

The Library of Congress said the discovery was "one of the most important and exciting finds of the century." They checked it and found nothing wrong with it for a 17th-century document. The American Antiquarian Society had the document for two months. They announced that there were "no anomalies," meaning nothing seemed out of place. Both groups wanted to do more tests to confirm it was real.

However, Hofmann's discovery was a clever fake. The truth started to come out during a police investigation in Salt Lake City. This investigation uncovered that Hofmann had made hundreds of forgeries. Almost all the historical items he claimed to have "discovered" were fake. The "Oath of a Freeman" was one of them.

Hofmann was very skilled at making fake documents. He found or stole old paper from the right time period. He made his own ink. He also used chemicals to make his documents look old and real. Sometimes, he would take blank pages from old books. He would then use that old paper for his forgeries. He even learned to hypnotize himself to copy old signatures perfectly. His fakes fooled many experts. These included handwriting experts like Charles Hamilton and Kenneth W. Rendell. Even investigators at the National Archives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were fooled. Hofmann later admitted that he usually made his own printing plates. But he said he "got lazy" and had the plate for the "Oath" made by someone else.

See also

In Spanish: Juramento de un hombre libre para niños