Why Does American English Drop The “U”?

One of the most common and noticeable spelling differences between American and British English is the use (or lack of use) of the letter “u” in words like “colour” and “honour.” To Americans, the “u” seems unnecessary and a bit old fashioned. How did this change occur? It was all thanks to a man whose name you’ve almost definitely heard: Noah Webster.

Webster wanted to make American English more distinct, in order to take control of the language from the British. In his earliest dictionaries, Webster removed the extra “u” from words and switched “re” to “er” at the end of words like “theater.”