The theory of distributions of L. Schwartz (3) provides a unified and rigorous foundation for special methods used in various branches of mathematics. Schwartz's treatment is on the most general level, and presupposes an understanding of modern abstract analysis. Several alternative approaches to distributions have been developed, all of them ‘elementary’ in one sense or another. We follow here the approach of Mikusiński (2) and Temple (4), in which distributions are defined as generalized limits of sequences of continuous functions. We find that, with this approach, it is possible to prove the basic theorem: every distribution is (locally) a derivative. The property of continuity of a distribution does not enter into the arguments establishing this result, but instead follows from it. Hence we are able to reduce the ‘regular sequence’ definition of a distribution to its simplest form. In a later paper we shall study convolution products of distributions, defined in the natural manner by regular sequences.