ASL: A Brief History Of American Sign Language

American Sign Language, commonly abbreviated ASL, is the native and natural language of individuals living in the United States who are Deaf. ASL finds its parentage in primarily two distinct sources; signs that were used communicatively within smaller communities of people in the 16th through 19th Centuries in the Colonies and States of the U.S., and the strong influence of Old French Sign Language which was introduced in the mid 19th Century. As with any creole, over a matter of just a couple of generations, the language became standardized amongst users and now serves as the only truly accessible form of communication amongst people who are Deaf.
Throughout human history great philosophers, thinkers, and educators have equated deafness with