The first mention of the village dates back to 1300-1350. On the site of today's municipal school stood the fortress of the Čuch family from Zásada, in the first half of the 15th century the castle of Navarov also belonged to this family.

Zásada became famous all over the world for its glassmaking, which has been preserved to this day. In 1918-1948, Zásada flourished enormously, and the village was called Little Paris at that time. In 1928, the Masaryk Jubilee burgher school was inaugurated. Today, the village of Zásada is home to the Preciosa Ornela glass bead division, which is the largest manufacturer of rocailles in the world. Its products are exported to all continents of the world.

Zásada is located in the southern part of the Jizera Mountains, in its surroundings you can find many natural attractions and historical monuments. A statue of St. John of Nepomuk used to stand under a centuries-old linden tree, which was uprooted by the wind sometime around 1980. In the summer of 1821, in the presence of many local citizens and pilgrims from the surrounding area, the statue was consecrated. The statue of St. John of Nepomuk still stands today in front of the original old tavern and inn "U Janů".