Bay Psalm Book in the context of "Elizabeth Glover"

Early American publishers and printers played a central role in the social, religious, political and commercial development of the Thirteen Colonies in British America prior to and during the American Revolution and the ensuing American Revolutionary War that established American independence.

The first printing press in the British colonies was established in Cambridge, Massachusetts by owner Elizabeth Glover and printer Stephen Daye. Here, the first colonial broadside, almanack, and book were published. Printing and publishing in the colonies first emerged as a result of religious enthusiasm and over the scarcity and subsequent great demand for bibles and other religious literature. By the mid-18th century, printing took on new proportions with the newspapers that began to emerge, especially in Boston. When the British Crown began imposing new taxes, many of these newspapers became highly critical and outspoken about the British colonial government, which was widely considered unfair among the colonists.

Stephen Daye (c. 1594 – December 22, 1668) emigrated from England to Massachusetts Bay Colony in British America. Likely with the help of his son Matthew, hebecame the first printer in colonial America, under indenture to Elizabeth Glover, owner of the first printing press in the British Colonies. At this press was printed the Bay Psalm Book in 1640, the first book printed in the present day United States.