Early Life and Education

Daniel Webster was born on January 18, 1782, in Salisbury (now Franklin), New Hampshire. He grew up on a small farm, where hard work was part of daily life. His parents valued learning, and Daniel proved to be a gifted reader and speaker. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy briefly and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1801. After teaching school to earn money, Webster studied law, passed the bar in 1805, and began practicing first in New Hampshire and later in Boston, Massachusetts.

Rising Lawyer and Orator

Webster quickly became one of the nation’s most respected courtroom lawyers. He argued major cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, including Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819), which protected private contracts, and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), which strengthened the federal government’s power over interstate commerce. His clear logic and booming voice made him famous as an orator—someone who gives powerful speeches.

Congress and the Union

Webster served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate for many years. In 1830 he delivered his most famous speech, the “Second Reply to Hayne,” defending the Constitution and the idea that the United States was one nation, not just a group of states. He warned against “nullification,” the idea that a state could cancel a federal law, and argued that secession would destroy the Union.

Diplomacy and the 1850 Crisis

As Secretary of State, Webster helped negotiate the Webster–Ashburton Treaty (1842), which settled a border dispute between the United States and British Canada. In 1850, when the nation was splitting over slavery, he supported the Compromise of 1850 to keep the Union together. His stance—especially support for the Fugitive Slave Act—angered many Northerners, but Webster believed compromise was necessary to avoid war.

Legacy

Webster died on October 24, 1852, at his home in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He is remembered as one of America’s greatest speakers, a leading constitutional lawyer, and a powerful defender of the Union. His words—“Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!”—still capture his lifelong goal: a strong, united United States.

Discussion Questions

1. Why did Webster believe the federal government should be stronger than the states?
2. How did Webster’s Supreme Court cases shape the growth of the national economy?
3. Was Webster right to support the Compromise of 1850 despite the Fugitive Slave Act? Why or why not?
4. What makes a speech persuasive, and how did Webster use those techniques?

Glossary

• Orator: A skilled public speaker.
• Nullification: A claim that a state can cancel a federal law.
• Secession: A state’s act of leaving a nation.
• Interstate commerce: Trade between different states.
• Compromise: An agreement where each side gives up something to reach peace.
• Treaty: A formal agreement between countries.

Five Interesting Facts

• Webster’s nickname was “Godlike Daniel” for his commanding presence.
• His “Second Reply to Hayne” (1830) produced the famous line about “Liberty and Union.”
• He helped save his alma mater in Dartmouth College v. Woodward.
• As a “favorite son” candidate in 1836, he won Massachusetts’s electoral votes for president.
• He loved outdoor life and spent time fishing near his Marshfield home.

Timeline

• 1782 — Born in Salisbury, New Hampshire.
• 1801 — Graduates from Dartmouth College.
• 1805 — Admitted to the bar; begins law practice.
• 1813 — Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
• 1819 — Argues Dartmouth College v. Woodward.
• 1824 — Argues Gibbons v. Ogden.
• 1830 — Delivers “Second Reply to Hayne.”
• 1841–1843 — Secretary of State; Webster–Ashburton Treaty (1842).
• 1850 — Supports Compromise of 1850; again Secretary of State.
• 1852 — Dies in Marshfield, Massachusetts.