Because. English examples, 1556–1682 (N.E.D.). Much used by children and illiterate people in the U.S.
1798. [He] said so to make fun of me, cause I was a Jarzyman.—The Aurora (Phila.), Dec. 13.
1816. Cause you’ve got 20, or 30,000 dollars, you call it a glorious treaty.—Mass. Spy, May 1.
1856. Do you eat johnny cake? ’cause if you don’t I’ll cut some wheat bread.—Whitcher, ‘The Widow Bedott Papers,’ No. 7.
1884. Harper’s Magazine. (N.E.D.)
