Great job on assignment #1 guys! You put your best foot forward to start the new year, and I'm proud of you! No doubt this will take some getting used to, but you are off to a fantastic start. This week's assignment includes a research requirement. Go to the website www.kidinfo.com/American_History/Colonization_Colonial_Life.html and view the available links. Choose a topic to read about and then report back with your findings. Your topic should focus on a fairly narrow aspect of colonial life and your essay should answer the "W" questions: who, what, when, where, and (especially) why. Example topics include: the story of a particular settler or family; the life of blacks in the colonies; common professions in the colonies, etc. Be creative and choose a topic that interests you. Your essay must be at least 200 words and is due by midnight, August 21. As you did last week, respond to the posts of at least two others with valuable reactions, questions, or (respectfully stated) disagreements with the conclusions drawn.
Remember that the point of the lesson is to practice research, writing, and communication with others while learning more about our American ancestors. You all are fantastic students and I'm excited to see what you come up with! God bless!
Wow! Big difference in colonial life to modern life. In almost every aspect, life was different. Houses, entertainment, education, food, and lifestyle are dramaticly different from today. I was surprised to learn that we still play some games that the colonials did, like cat's cradle, tug of war, hide and seek, and blind man's bluff. Some, I'd like to bring back, like pillow pushing. :)
ReplyDeleteThis artical questioned a few times on whether or not we'd be able to go back in time and live the way they did, more primitive it seems than today's amish. I think aome of us could, but not without difficulty. I know for me, It'd be very hard to have such strict gender roles, little education, and small, unfurnished homes. However, I think it'd be good for us to do so.
Back in Colonial days, jobs or “trades” were a very important part of colonial life. Everyone needed to make money, but people also needed items to live day to day. That's why these jobs are very important.
ReplyDeleteOne very important job in colonial days was the blacksmith. The blacksmith made items out of iron by heating it to very high temperatures using a forge and shaping it with a hammer. A blacksmith would make items like nails, plows, horseshoes, knives and guns. The majority of the items he made were horseshoes. These were very important because of the large number of horses in colonial times.
Another important person was a cabinet maker. He made furniture out of a variety of wood which you would have to bring him. The cabinetmaker used many fine tools, including planes, hammers, and draw knives. He could also carve designs in the wood if desired. He then finished the furniture off with stain and varnish. Cabinetmakers were very important because they were needed to build chairs, tables, etc for all colonists in the colony.
A miller is a person who ran a mill. Farmers would bring their corn and wheat to the mill to be ground up into cornmeal and flour. The mills were often located near rivers and were powered by the water through a water wheel, which would turn the millstones and grind up the grain. Without a miller, grounding grain would be a very difficult task.
Candlemaking was another very important craft of the day. Candlemaking was done on candlemaking day. Animal fat was saved for months and then melted into hot tallow. They would then dip the candle into the tallow until it was the right size. Then they would be placed on a rack to dry and placed in a candle holder. Candlemakers were extremely important because candles were needed to make light when it was dark.
There are many more jobs of the colonist that were also very important. These are some of the most important ones in my opinion. If people did not have these jobs and work hard like they did, our country would not be like it is today. I think it is good that our nation started off with smart, hard working individuals. This is what brought out smart, hard working individuals that we have in our country today.
By the way, I enjoyed this assignment. I liked learning about the life and jobs of the colonial people.
Colonial Music
ReplyDeleteMusic was a semi-important and influential aspect of Colonial American. It played a part in the development and shaping of American culture. Most of the music of colonial America was European and brought over with the colonists. They sang and played many different kinds of music from several different countries.
In the Colonial times several different instruments were used. Violins were the most popular then and lots of men from all different classes played them. Men also played many different kinds of flutes. Wealthy women would sometimes play harpsichords. Women would also sometimes play an instrument know known as an English guitar which is similar to a Renaissance cittern (these aren’t played anymore). Several other less common instruments were also played such as trumpets, trombones, and French horns, cellos and violas, oboes, and bassoons, drums, organs, dulcimers, and a few others. Most of the instruments that are used today were around back in the colonial times. They also had a less popular form of guitar back then. Now we call it a baroque guitar. It is similar to a classical guitar, but smaller and had ten strings (like a modern 12-string guitar without the two low E strings) and had strings and frets made from gut.
One of the most popular uses for music back then was for dance. Dancing was one of the favorite pastimes for the colonists and they had a lot of dancing songs and tunes. They usually used a single violinist to accompany dancing, but on special occasions up to four or five musicians may be used.
Another popular form of music was musical theater. The colonists would compile old folk songs, rewrite the words and tie them together with spoken dialogue to tell a story. These were called ballad operas. The most famous ballad opera back then was called The Beggar’s Opera. Colonists would also bring home lyrics and music to songs from the theater to play at home.
Church music was also performed often in the colonies. In the Congregationalist churches of New England they sang many anthems, psalms, and fuging tunes. The churches also paid “singing masters” to teach church members how to read music; they also composed many pieces too. The largely Germanic Moravian settlers of Pennsylvania and North Carolina were very musically sophisticated, and performed, copied, and composed new advanced chamber pieces. Church music was played throughout many of the Protestant churches in the colonies.
Music was also played for other occasions such as military fifers and drummers who played marches and battle music and others. Music did help define the colonists and was a significant influence on American Culture. (I think this is two hundred words.)
Colby, you had a solid topic and i think you did a good job at choosing professions to talk about and explaining and describing them. You made some good points in your second-to-last paragraph about colonial Americans and there jobs, and i found your post interesting(for an essay on colonial America).
ReplyDeleteJ Byrd, i thought your essay was excellent. i couldn't have done better myself
ReplyDeleteThe majority of colonists came to the New World in the 1600s in search of wealth, religious freedom, etc. Coming to North America was a big change and it required a lot of hard work to survive. They had to cut down trees to make their own houses, many had to weave cloth themselves to make clothes, they continuously had to keep the fire going-whatever season- to provide warmth, light, and to cook.
ReplyDeleteThere were of hardships besides starting over in a new place, unfortunately, some had mistreated the Native Americans, which put everyone in constant fear of an Indian raid. Wolves prowled at night preying on livestock, the main source of food in winter. And as most colonists built their homes out of wood-including chimneys- fire was also a huge danger.
Unlike today, children’s lives weren’t much different than their parent’s. Boy’s education, if they had any, would be at home or with a group of children after they had helped their fathers in the fields. Girls would stay at home and learn everything they need to know about working around the household. After all the chores were done for the day could they then play, if there was any time left.
But as more and more colonists made their way to the New World to start a new life, the lives of the colonists became easier. Towns were established and they worked together to help each other survive.
All of our lives, we work hard to become something. We want to get the best job. Well the people in the Colonial times had a few different career choices. I will be going over three: Apothecary, Shoemaker, and the Wigmaker. These are interesting occupations that filled the lives of the colonists.
ReplyDeleteThe Apothecary was a helpful member of the colonies. Although he wasn’t a doctor, he could diagnose the patient and concoct the medicine required to cure the ailment. In the eighteenth century, the doctors, apothecaries, and surgeons were often situated in the larger cities such as Philadelphia. The apothecary learned by being an apprentice and would usually make house calls. In fact, members of the community would help out in the treatment of illnesses instead of the doctors.
The shoemaker was an important occupation of this time. He/she would take the leather and glue it in place over a wooden model. They would sew the soul of the shoe onto the prepared leather. After polishing and shining the shoe, they would put a heel on it. The shoe was then ready to be sold to the needing individuals.
Finally the wigmaker. In the eighteenth century, the people put great pride in their appearance. This didn’t just include their clothing, but their hair was also just as important. Those who were skilled could fashion this hair into any style. The hair types varied from yak, goat, horse, to human. During the times when the courts were in session, the wigmakers received more business.
These aren’t just jobs, but important parts of society. The apothecary took care of the medicinal needs of the colonies and the shoemaker provided the shoes for the people. Although the wigmaker may have not held a prominent place in society, it aided in lifting the pride and moral of the colonists. They felt better about themselves.
All jobs/positions have some effect on the people. The colonists may have had different jobs than we do today, but they fit the needs of the people. I believe that is important. It reflects the culture and progress of this particular group of people. We can have some vision into the past through the occupations and hobbies of the individuals.
Nlr302, you made some good points. We have to think, could we make it today like they did then. I'm not sure we could. We have gotten to a point where we are reliant on modern things, whereas they had almost nothing except their skills and recources.
ReplyDeleteThe Colonial Justice System:
ReplyDeleteThe colonies of the 17th century were (obviously) new, small (compared to today's standards), and disorganized. The colonies struggled with who owned this, who ran this, what happened here, etc. No central government system had been established within the New World. Each colony ruled itself, to an extent.
The legal system the colonists would have been most familiarized with was English Common Law. English Common Law is a system built on the history of court decisions, instead of having a set of never changing rules or laws.
Under the Common Law legal system there are two basic types of crimes: a felony (serious crimes) or a misdemeanor (smaller less serious crimes). The larger crimes were brought before a group of people called a grand jury. The grand jury had the right to accept or dismiss the case based on if the amount of evidence could even build a strong enough case to try. If the case was indicted, it was brought before a "regular jury".
There were some problems however. One, especially in the beginnings of colonization, there were not enough people to put together a grand jury, and because of the disorganization, colonists felt it was their duty to take the law into their own hands. Second, unlike today's American law, there were no public defenders or district attorneys to bring a victim's case before a court. That was the individual victim's job to present the case and pay for it.
Lastly, while there were lawyers and judges spread throughout the colonies, it wasn't like we know it today. You didnt just look up a law firm in the phonebook and give them a call. Juries were just farmers, judges could have been respected men in the community, lawyers....well there were times when you were your own.
Just like every thing else in Colonial America, the criminal justice system was new, and took a lot of effort and dedicated people to bring it together, but thank goodness there were colonists with good solid work ethics. Otherwise, we wouldn't have the strong legal system we have in America today.
I'm so glad that I go to a school where I have everything I need to get a good education. I have books, paper, pencils ect. -unlike the colonial children who didn't have very much at all. Sometimes they did not even have paper or pencils. They had to use a lump of coal or a feather dipped in ink to write. The colonists were very poor.
ReplyDeleteNot having books?? Goodness that would be hard!! And not having heat in the winter except for a wood burning stove, man that would be cold!!! I'm so glad I go to school with all of those things!! Can you imagine us going to school in the winter and not having heat and being there for about 7 hours a day!! Wow that would be so uncomfortably cold. I'm so thankful that I will be warm during my classes unless its just a cold room of course.
If I had lived back in the colonial days, I wouldn't even be in highschool. Only the boys would could go to highschool and then on to college. I just don't think I could of lived back in that time. I am so grateful to God that I am able to attend Somerset Christian School!! :)
Colonial Motherhood & Clothing
ReplyDeleteOne of the topics that caught my interest was the fashions of motherhood. In the 18th century, the life of a colonial woman was usually just centered around the needs of her family, so they didn't have careers outside of thier homes. Something that was maybe one of most important jobs was to have children. They were expected to have large families. Back then(without all of the tecnology and medicines and things like that that we have today) a woman who was giving birth had to worry about not only the baby surviving, but herself as well. Typically, a colonial woman would give birth 7-8 times in her life and only about 5-6 of those children would survive. However, something that struck me as amazing was that women who were with child still stayed active in thier work, social gatherings, and they even excersized during the time they were expecting. A woman by the name of Esther Edwards Burr would go to worship services, dine with the governor, and still have many people to her home for gatherings and still have many people over to her home for gatherings and visits. Another woman from New England whose name was Elizabeth Porter Phelps, who was delivering her baby the next day, just rode into town and "drank tea at Brother Warner's".
As far as the clothing eas concerned, it was a hard stretch for pregnant women in the 18th century. That was back when pulling a corset as tightly as you possibly could was fashionable. Some women just chose to endure the tight petticoats and corsets during thier pregnancies while others tried to hide how enormous they were by wearing scarves over them or waistcoats. One thing that came along for those who were pregant in the colonies was a clothing item called a stay which allowed room in the waist to expand as the woman's middle grew bigger, which to me is kind of like stretching the waist in a pair of jeans nowadays.
This topic interested me mainly because I am interested in clothing, but also because I wondered what it would be like to be a colonial woman in those days. I think women from back then are admirable in how they went through the pains of childbirth as a duty and cared for thier families and were never really idle.
From reading Jbird's essay, I thought it was very interesting that back during colonial times a popular form of music was musical theatre where they would change songs and tunes into a story to act out. I wouldn't have thought that such a thing existed during that particular time period.
ReplyDeleteI am also curious from reading Ashley Glass's essay on the fact that back during colonial times only the boys could go to school and then go on to college and have an education. I realize that women were supposed to be busy in taking care of things in the home and whatnot, but isn't that just a bit sexist? Haha, and that is so true about us staying warm in our school- unless it's a cold room of course, ahem.
ReplyDeleteI really like what everyone is saying on here. I really liked morgans essay on the justice system, because last year my family went to colonial williamsberg for a week. we were able to see lots of really old houses, and got so see how people lived back then. We got to go into a courthouse, and staged a mock trial, which was a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteColonial Firefighting
ReplyDeleteWhen colonial American was first beginning, they focused on all the usual details; storing food for winter, re-enforcing barricades to prevent Indian massacres, building homes, and establishing a government. They were the first to do something as radical as starting a nation from scratch, so they worried about the small details as the came up as an issue.
However, they learned early on that fire was not a force to be reckoned with. In January of 1608, a raging fire swept through James town, destroying many homes and food provisions. The disaster was so horrific John Smith was quoted as saying, “I begin to think that it is safer for me to dwell in the wild Indian country than in this stockade, where fools accidentally discharge their muskets and others burn down their homes at night.”
The issues only got worse as more and more shiploads of settlers came in, and more trees were chopped down and turned into homes. Early colonial forts could be compared to matchboxes: lots of dry would, and the only water available had to be carried by buckets from a large distance away.
In 1631, Governor John Winthrop made thatched roofs and wooden chimneys illegal. This helped the effect to prevent fire, but wasn’t enough alone. Forty years later, Boston suffered several major arson fires. This was reason for action. In 1676 an ironworker by the name of Joseph Jynks created a pump to help try to extinguish flames. The syringe-style pump was heavy, and was no match for any well-sized fire.
Shortly afterwords, Bostonians sent a plea to England for the latest advancement in firefighting technology. When it arrived, they opened the crate to see a three-foot long, eighteen-inch long wooden box,
with a force style pump. While the pump did help the effort to reach fires in higher places, it had to constantly be refilled by a man with a bucket.
Overall, the effort to quench fire was a slow, miserable battle. It took until 1732 before any major advances were made in the fire-fighting field. And four years later early New York found themselves facing disaster when their efforts failed once-more and a good half of the city went up in smoke as a result.
Finally, after over two centuries of struggle, the modern equipment we have today evolved. While they had a bumpy start, there is no doubt that the founding fathers were right on track with their fire fighting systems. It is but another example of what brilliant men established this country.
I like the point Madyson made when she said how the colonial government was very small when compared to today's standards, yet still very organized. They even went as far as to have different classifications of crimes, and different punishments were issued. Definitely a very interesting essay.
ReplyDeleteI liked in J Bryds essay how he explained that men and women used to play different types of flutes. It was very fascinating, as I had no idea it used to be like that. I also enjoyed reading about how American music started off being the same as the Europeans, but took its own course. Nice jobm Jon.
ReplyDeletei reaserched gunsmithing in the colonies. this job was obviously vital to the american revolution. gunsmiths had to be very talented because they needed the trades of blacksmiths, whitesmiths, and a woodworker to be successful. Gunsmiths also needed to be skilled in working with medals because they made decrative inscriptions. The reason many gunsmiths were so good at their occupation was because of their early start. Many gunsmiths began their apprenticeship at age 12 to 14. usually a gunsmith was able to go out on his own and ready for work by around 21 years old.
ReplyDeletethough many gunsmiths were very good at their trade much of their work was repare work because many of the guns people had were from europe and had been handed down for an earlier generation. however, one misconception is that gunsmiths only made guns, gunsmiths made anything from shoe bucles to axes. today gunsmiths practice their trade and model it after great gun smiths that have set the bar in the past such as james geddy, i think gunsmithing is one of the most important aspects of the revolution, because really the founding fathers could have talked the talk but without trained professionals they would not have been able to stand up to the powerful british empire.
i think jake makes a great point because i mean really if the british had simply burned the patriots supplys or they had just caught on fire one fire could completely change the war and the face of america today
ReplyDeleteya jon i think u point out one very very important overlooked aspect of the colonies. i know for me music can pick me up in even the worst of circumstances, i know after after a either great victory or defeat one great patriot song would pick me up and raise my spirits.
ReplyDeleteThe Colonial Times from the Native American Perspective.
ReplyDeleteImagine waking up every morning, peaking out your window, and seeing a giant mass of land that stretches as far as the eye can see... not hard to imagine, after all, we do it practically every day; but imagine the feeling that that land was stolen; stolen almost four-hundred years ago; and it is impossible to get back. This is the feeling that the Native American is overwhelmed with each day. These thoughts were prompted in my mind after reading the book Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko. The following is a quote from that very novel: "Every day they had to look at the land, from horizon to horizon, and every day the loss was with them; it was the dead unburied, and the mourning of the lost going on forever. So they tried to sink the loss, and silence their grief with war stories about their courage, defending the land they had already lost."
The Native American's DID have their land stolen by us English folk. It is no wonder we were welcomed by a large amount of skepticism and hostility. The Native American's had a large adjustment to make during the transition from Old to New World society. Their life of hunting and farming was far different from that of the European settlers, and the many cultural differences between the Indians and incoming Colonists would lead to many conflicts.
Though they were, for the most part, not near the hub's of colonial society, the Native's still played a vital part in Colonization. The obvious example would be how well they knew the land. The Colonist's who were lucky enough to build an alliance with the Indian's recieved a lot of help with farming and crop production. The Indian's ate such foods as chesnuts, acorns, strawberries, and blackberries which they collected from the forest's and field's. They also frequently ate fish, such as salmon which they caught in the nearby streams. They taught the colonists practically everything about planting and hunting. Without them, there may have, very easily, been none of us.
Unfortunately, though once extremely greatful, that emotion faded, and we began focussing on personal gain. (That's the story of humankind; is it not?) We eventually forced them to the west of the Mississippi, and during the era of Manifest Destiny we completely segregated a vast majority of them to reservations and isolated communities. Many people think of racial prejudice as just against the African American's, however, the Native American's have, as well, received the short end of the stick.
Madyson, I loved your unique topic choice and I can tell that you really did good research on the topic. You brought up some very interesting points about the lck of a grand jury and how difficult it was to find lawyers. I would have never thought to write about the legal system.
ReplyDeleteAnd Emily, yours was, as always, excellent. I think it's amazing and hilarious to hear about some of the professions like shoemaker and wigmaker. Who even knew there were trained wig makers?
Colonial community life is vastly different than out own community life here in modern America. Of course this is a very obvious fact but if you'll let me get down to the meat of the subject I'm sure you'll see where I'm coming from.
ReplyDeleteReligion which would have been Christianity of course was very structured and in all Puritan colonies church was a forced venture, all colonists who did not attend church where not citizens so they couldn't vote in elections at all. So puritan compulsory attendance was more of a political right than just a religious command.
In an educational stand point the colonies had fairly high schooling statistics. Some stating that at least 1 out of 250 had attended one of England's find learning establishments, not to mention that our own Harvard university (circa. 1636) opened a big door for colonial higher education with out the three month boat ride back to the "mother land" and then a three month boat ride back to see mother. The education of the children was basic. Arithmetic and spelling for the boys and for the girls sewing, embroidery, and moral conduct (they need that class nowadays.)
For the recreation department. Depending on where you lived your entertainment would definitely be different. For Puritans houseraisings, corn huskings, and quilting parties where the norm for entertainment. In the southern colonies however there was no "Fun Ban" so just about anything (that wasn't illegal) was a good time. The most widely enjoyed one of these was dancing.
I hope I get a response to this post.
Most criminals in jail have it, not better but, a lot less stressful than most people espesialy the American colonists. Criminals in prisons today get three meals every day, exercise, and aren't open for public humiliation.
ReplyDeleteIn colonial times the troublemakers were punished in the center of town for the entire public to see. They were locked in wooden frameworks untill they had served their time.The types of frameworks were a pillory, which was wooden and had holes for the criminal's head and hands to stick through while they stood up, and the stocks, which had holes where the criminal's ankles were locked while setting down.
Colonial people had a very strict moral code and those that broke the code were given bizarre punishments. By giving people odd pinishments the colonists hoped to shame the person so they wouldn't break the law again. Most of the time people who had commited adultery would be made to have a letter A sewed ontl their cloths and counterfitters were to wear a C, so all of the colonists would know of the sin that the person(s) had done.
Crimes were considered a sinful act and therefor the sinner must confess their sins to the church. Blasphemy was a crime that warranted very harsh punishment, in my own opinion the harshest.The offender could be whipped in front of all the townsfolk, put in the pillory, have his tongue bored out with a hot iron or be forced to stand in the gallows with a rope tied around his neck. Executions were regularly attended by men, women, and even small children, why would someone want to take their child to a criminals execution is beyond my understanding! Other punishments included having the offenders ears clipped or even being branded.
in colonial America music was one of the most important forms of entertainment. several instruments were played, including violins, harpsichords, and many different types of flutes. music was used for many occassions, such as theatre, dance, church, and even in the military. most music at this time was European and had been brought to America with the colonists on their journey. the music in the colonies was not entirely instrumental, and many of the colonists would sing and dance to their favorite songs. Usually, in the colonies people would come together simply to play their instruments, dance, and sing..
ReplyDeletemusic was also often adapted and used in theater. the music in the musical theater was folk songs that the colonists compiled and rewrote the song's lyrics to become the dialog of the player in the theatre being performed. the colonists were very ingenious in the ways they used their music and other forms of entertainment .
music was often performed in the protestant churches in the colonies. In the Congregationalist churches of New England they sang many anthems, psalms, and fuging tunes. The churches also paid “singing masters” to teach church members how to read music and also composed many pieces of music as well.Music was also played for other occasions such as military fifers and drummers who played marches and battle music.
In the colonial days the trades of the colonists played an important role in the survival of the colonies.
ReplyDeleteThe most important trade was that of the blacksmith which made an assortment of everyday tools. For example he made knives which were used for skinning animals and cutting meat, guns which were used to hunt animals and ward off the many Indians, plows which were used to plow fields to which corn or many other crops were grown, horseshoes which were a necessity for the horses because of the everyday use of them by the colonist, axes which were used to cut down trees for building houses and other goods, and nails which were used to construct cabinets and houses and many other various things. The trade of the blacksmith was very dangerous and hot. The forge which he used was at outstanding temperatures that were well over 1000 degrees. The billow(leather and wood bag) was used to fuel the fire with more oxygen which therefore made it to the temperature the blacksmith desired. Many of the other tools that he used were tongs which he used to handle the metal and hammers which he used to shape the metal to his desired form.
In the end I have realized that the blacksmith played an important role in the function and survival of the colonies.
I looked up popular professions of the Colonial (1492-1766) times. And these people did a lot of hard work. The most popular ones were: a blacksmith, cabinetmaker, cooper, milliner, miller, printer, silversmith, tanner, wheelwright, and wigmaker. I thought it was amazing how these people got so much done with out the use of machines. Compared to the work that we do today, well to put it nicely we barely do anything; because they did their work all by hand. They didn’t have air conditioning in their houses/ shops to make their work a little better. And yes, we still have most of these jobs today (we don’t need too many wheelwrights because we don’t need wagon wheels that often), but they are all assisted by machines or the products are made on an assembly line.
ReplyDeleteThe blacksmiths now vs. then
NOW
- Machines make the goods (guns/ horseshoes/etc.)
THEN
- Hand made goods
Tanner
Now
- still a nasty job but they have machines to take the meat/ etc. off
- hide put in heated rooms
Then
- Used a blade to cut off fat, meat/ etc. left on hide
- Hide dried in the sun
Miller
Now
- machines grind the corn and flour
Then
- Water would turn a wheel causing the grindstones to move
Milliner
Now
- Use sewing machines in a large factory to get out most off the clothes we wear
Then
- All hand sown by women that worked a seamstresses
Cabinetmaker
Now
- have large saws and power tools to make work faster
- Have lasers to cut designs into wood
Then
- Cut all the wood by hand, and it took a long time to make designs in the wood because it was done by hand
Cooper, there job is pretty much the same. Though the do have electric saws to cut the wood into the shape the need and to cut a spy hole in the top of the barrel.
Printer
Now
- There are people running the machines that print the information on the paper, but all they do is put in the paper and the ink and program the computers to type the words onto the page.
Then
- Hammered letters onto a plate, so they wouldn’t move, they poured the ink and pressed it against a piece of paper with a large lever ( They had to do this for every page of a book /newspaper)
Silversmith
Now
- They make most of the silver in bulk at large factories
Then
- all hand made, a very slow process
Wheelwright
Now
- We still have wheels made but they are for cars and are made in large factories. And we do have some wagon wheels that are made but very few (comparatively) and are usually for Amish or for horseshows.
Then
- made by man not machine and they were wagon wheels not car wheels so they were made out of wood .
Wigmaker
Now
- We still have wigs today and it depends on whether or not you get a high quality wig because those that aren’t are made with artificial hair and are glued to a net
Then
- Hand made for the rich with real hair (animals or human). They were sowed to a net with silk thread and to finish them off were powdered and perfumed.
Gunsmith
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting because you had to know about many different trades to be one. You had to know blacksmithing, whitesmithing, foundering, and woodworking. First i will explain what you had to know about blacksmithing you had to be able to work with metals and mold and shape them for work with gun's this would help with repairs and molding the guns metal parts.
You also had to know about whitsmithing which this took some digging but it is someone who works with white or light colored metals like tin and pewter. They are also known as tinsmiths. This would be helpful in repairing small parts and peices of a gun that could be easily broken.
The internship for learning this trade would take 7-9 years this would start at age 12-14 andend at around age 21.Knowledge on foundering would be used for casting metals and or puring the hot metal into a cast to form a part or peice to the gun.This would be very important in making the larger peices of the gun.
Woodworking would be needed for making the stock of the gun so that it could be held. This would be important knowledge could be easily done by going out and buying wood that had been cut or cut to the length desired. Then you could finish it and make it look like a gun.
Then with the knowledge of tinsmithing or of a whitesmith you could engrave the gun. This knowledge would also be usful in repairing guns and other accesories like axes and even bells. You could also end of repairing other things that a blacksmith might have made.
This is what i learned and i hope you learned something to. It was a very interesting assignment and i am looking forward to the next one.
Wow, Anna, I had no idea they did that much!!! I mean I can;'t imagine having that many kids and still be expected to do all the housework... good gravy, that's alot. They also we're expected to still go to gatherings and host them, I would be too embarrassed of my house !! LOL! But if you had an older child it would be better. Nut have you ever tried to cook on a wood stove? It's really hard cause they are usually too hot or not hot enough.
ReplyDeleteI thought what jarred had to say about what it was like being an Indian in the colonial days was interesting and very well put togethor.
ReplyDeleteWhat JByrd said about music was a first for me I really didn't realize that music was so important in colonial times. That many people actually played an instrument like a violen or a flute.
ReplyDeleteColonial Transpotation
ReplyDeleteThe differences in today’s transportation and colonial transportation are vastly different. In colonial days the ways to travel were by land or water. Today it is still only by land , water, and air. But how efficiently we do it is the big difference. Now we do it quicker, easier, and more comfortablly.
In colonial days you caould travel on land by walking, horseback, or horse drawn wagons. All of these are time consuming, uncomfortable, tiring, and draining. Now, we can ride cars, trains, subways, bicycles, motorcycles, etc. All of these are much faster than the old ways. You can ridee a car across the sountry in a couple of days, whereas it took that long if not longer to walk across one colony if you needed to move or trade.
Also back in colonial America the transportation by water was very poor. Yes they had boats, but very lowsy boats compared to the boats today. The large boats they used to carry items and people back then are nothing compared to the steam powered ships we have today for those uses.
Lastly, the biggest difference by far, is our use of the air to travel in todays era. Flying is the best and quickest way to travel. You can travel anywhere in the world in a matter of hours. And comfortably at that.
Colby, i thought yours was very good. I was actually going to do the jobs/trades until i saw how thorough yours was. You really showed how important jobs were for both a living but also to produce all the goods and services needed to survive.
ReplyDeletetylerM, i really thought your post was impressive. I knew they used music in thatre and church but i had no idea about the military. Also i didn't know that churches paid "singing masters."
ReplyDeletethe people that lived in the new colony of Plymouth dint have it very easy way of life. Their house were signifently small compared to that ones we have today. they were made of wide pieces of wood. and their floors were either made from lumber of were just dirt floors that they had just put water on to make it soft.insie the houses there was very little furiture. just the ones that they could make. the husband was usually the one who had a good chair. they slept on the floor and beside a hearth to keep warm
ReplyDeletethe childerin of Plymouth didn't go to school. they wold spend most the year workin with their fathers. they would get up with the sun to start workin then they would be done when the sun went down. the pilgrams did this everyday to get ready for the winter. they had tyo learn disiplen when they were young because if they got introuble with the community their fathers were the ones who were punished bybeing thrown into the stockade. while the girls however were taught to grind corn, barly, and wheat into flower. they learned to measure it out in their hands.
However on every sunday no work was done. the fields were left alone, stores and shos were closed and all people did was go to church and read their Bibles. but they did play some games on sundays. many of them we still play today. sauch as hide and seek. and tog of war.
life back then was alot simplier but yet harder. there were no majior citys or big factories. they did things back then that today most of us would consider alien. these people worked very hard till the day they died. they believed in God and worshiped him and tried to do things his way. it may seem strange to us but this was thier culture. this was all they knew to do
hey jakeob i really liked what u ad to say in urs especialy what u said about all the the way they travled
ReplyDeletechuck0-0 i really liked everything that u had to say about all the jobs that they had
ReplyDeleteThe Colonial Justice System:
ReplyDeleteToday in our Justice System, you can pretty much tell what kind of punishment you are going to endure for your crimes. You know: jailtime, fines, restraining orders, etc. etc. You need not worry about having to serve your sentence in front of the entire town, or stand in a painful position for hours at a time. But back in Colonial days, it was a different story.
Colonial Americans obviously thought of themselves as religious and moral people. But that does not mean they were perfect. Criminals were a common occurence in society. Many of the Colonists blamed England for the criminals, because they shipped some of their criminals to the Colonies. The Colonial cities did not have police forces, and the population was very unprotected against crime.
The Puritans had a very strict moral code that all citizens were foced to abide by. For example: all citizens were strictly forbidden to curse in public, be drunk in public, not attending church, acting innapropriately on Sunday, and innapropriate behavior to the opposite sex.
If you broke on of these moral codes, you were required...scratch that forced...to admit your wrongdoing to the church. So when you committed a crime everyone immediately knew about it.
After that, you were sentenced. Some of their "methods" of punishment were things that would make the electric chair look like a massage treatment. Some of them include: having your ears clipped (whatever that is), being branded, whipping, etc.
That is totally different from our Justice System today. It is so much more efficient, more reliable, and no whippings! Well, not in our country anyway.
Without Justice, our society would be nothing more than an anarchy. God laid down the base for punishment in the Bible, so it is definitely necessary for living and functioning as a country.
Colby, I liked your essay, but I loved the way you closed it out. Individuals like blacksmiths and candlemakers may not seem like much, but they were the workhorses that got an early USA off of its feet and on the rise to greatness.
ReplyDeletePope, I loved how you focused on the gunsmith, the workhorse of the American Revolution. They made the guns, fixed the guns, and kept the American War Machine going. I also enjoyed learning about the many other things they did.
ReplyDeleteColonial life for African Americans.
ReplyDeleteAt the begining of the American Revolution 20% of the population in 13 colonies was of African descent. Slavery was first legalized in Massachusetts in 1641. Salves, for the maost part, worked on tobacco plantations and large farms. Some also did domestic work.
Because the tobacco crops were so demanding, slaves were used despite the questions of whether it was morally right. The only rival for the tobacco industry at the time was the sugar industry. Since tobacco is an 11 month crop, with cultivation begining in late January to early Febuary, field preperation, mending tools, and laying out seed beds, it was a lot of work.
When the soil was ready(somewhere around March), the seedlings were transplanted to the fields. The plants requierd constant care, and you can guess who did it. At harvist the tobacco was gathered and prepared for shipping to England.
But that's not all that the slaves did. Farm work wasn't as hard as tobacco but it was still very demanding. They planted, took care of, and harvested the crops. They also cared for the livestock (whichusually kept them busy all year round).
Living on a plantation or farm had its advantages, like living in family units. But it had its disadvatages as well. Slaves that lived on a plantation or farm were more likely to be sold ortransferred. They also got brutal nad severe punishment.
Slavery was an active part of 18th cenurty Verginia, and it touched virtually every aspect of life back then. Starting with the arrival of the first Africans in James Town in 1619, over the corse of 150 years slavery became a way of life in Verginia and surrounding colonies.
I presonaly don't think that America would be what it is today without the slaves. I'm not saying that I think it is/was ok, but you have to admit Americans are lazy.
Sam, you hvae a good point. Wish I had thought of that.
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ReplyDeleteSam, I enjoyed reading your post. Cool to see what they did about criminals back in those days. The thought of criminals really didn't even cross my mind.
ReplyDeleteJaykub, interesting read. I didn't realize how strict some communities were with here religion and what it meant in their community. Maybe we should have a quilting party sometimes Jaykub? Or maybe a quilting/deck party? Sounds fun right? =)
ReplyDeleteSometimes we tend to take things for granted as modern Americans, things that just seem so simple now. For instance, today we just get into a car and cruise on in to school. Way back when, everyone had to walk, take a boat, or used wagons and horses; which would take FOREVER! Another thing we all take for granted is electricity. Without it, some of us may feel like were dying.
ReplyDeleteFarming was a huge aspect of colonial life. Corn was the most grown crop. The native Americans were the ones that taught us how to grow it here and it took a lot of hard manual labor to grow it. Today we just hop on our tractors and plow the field and plant it just like that. Harvesting is even easier than planting. Back in colonial times, harvesting would’ve taken days or even weeks depending on how much the colonist had to harvest. Most of the colonists were farmers because they had to provide their family with food.
I am so thankful that the skills of farming have been passed down the line. If they hadn’t, what would we be eating? I know I love fresh veggies right out of the garden and will think every time I bite into one: I’m so glad the early colonists passed this down.
Hannah, yours was great the way you put in all the different things about the tobacco, slavery and plantations. You covered a lot of information in yours. I think the family units would be interesting for maybe a class project or something, but i dont think i would especially like it
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ReplyDeleteI am doing mine on colonial jobs
ReplyDeleteSome of the jobs are carpenter, which is different than the carpenters today not in what they do but how they done it. The colonist had to work a lot harder than are carpenters today do to the advances in technology but the work is the same they build houses and other buildings just like today.
also the wig maker, who had a very important job since the wigs were one of the main parts of colonial attire. The colonist belived you had to look good from head to toe so the wigs were an important part. In order to make it as a wig maker you had to be able to please your consumers.
One of the most im portant jobs was the gunsmith. This job was so important because the guns were needed for war and also needed for hunting so people had food. The gun smith was a very important job and took a lot of skill, because a faulty gun could cause death or serious injury.
Stotts you make a very good point in haw as modern Americans we take our technology for grated and dont appreciate what we have. I totally agree with you
ReplyDeleteJon your write up is impressive i never knew that music was used in so many different ways and so important in the colinal lifestyle
ReplyDeleteI like hannah's essay on the life on a colonial African-American's life. I found it very interesting that at first slavery actually was no legal, and even more so that 20% of the population were African American. This is especially facination since most history books don't inclue them in the time line until the Civil War era. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteGuffy, I realy liked how you pointed out how dangerous it was to live back then. There were so many hardships, and yet, they made a way through it all. We should be so thankful that we have such relativly safe lives!
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ReplyDeleteColonial book printing and binding, and wigmakeing.
ReplyDeleteI picked the topics that I did because we went to williamsberg last year, and I got to watch both wigmaking and book printing. They were very interesting to me, and I thought both trades would be fun to write about.
In colonial times, it was no simple thing to print a book like it is today. It was a lengthy and tireing process, and was very messy.
First, after you had what you were going to print, you had to pick the type of type to print with. Type were little metal blocks, with different letters, or sometimes whole words, molded in relief on the tops. There were many different types(or fonts) of type, making the writing different from other writing, and interesting to read. Imagine if on the computer, you could only type in one style. Wouldn't that be boring!?
After you picked your type, you got down to the real buisness of printing. First the type had to be set. You did that by arranging all the letters on the page BACKWARDS. That must have been so hard to set an entire page backwards! Anyways, when several lines had been set, the printer would set them in wooden cases called galleys. When you had several galleys set, you tied them together with string, and placed and locked them in a page size iron case called a chase. The chase was carried back and fourth under a pressure plate by a "carriage". A worker called a "beater" used two wooden handeled, wool stuffed, leather covered ink balls to spread the ink evenly on the type. It was a very messy job! Moistened sheets of paper were laid on a wooden frame that hinged on the chase, and the carriage was run in. The pressure plate, which was mounted on a screw the size of a mans arm, was lowered, squeezing the paper against the type with about 200 pounds of force.
After that, if the pages were for a book, they would be sent to a book binder to be bound together. We should be so thankful that we live in a time when books so commen.
Have a great weekend!
Raphael
American Life: A Comparison of Colonial Life to Today’s Life
ReplyDeleteBack in the colonial time, the way that people do things and how they do them, are a lot different then today, how they worked and what they called things. Everyday the men would wake up at sunrise and work all the way till night until harvest, today we tend to sleep in and get off work before night. Women didn't work except for the usual house cleaning, and the girls would stay home and learn house keeping. Now us girls are usually never home. When children played they didn't rush to the Tv to play Halo, they played marble, hopscotch (it was called Scotch-hopper back then), kite flying and many more. The girls liked playing with dolls but then they weren't plastic, they were actually made out of corn husks and there were rag dolls too.
The houses didn't have in door pluming or even air conditioning. The very early ones would only consist of one room. The houses also didn't have refrigerators so they had smoke houses where they kept the meat. The floors weren't wood, but ground, and the dirt was lade smooth. The bed would be in one corner and a pull out one underneath for a child. These beds consisted of hay unlike of our nice, fluffy, pillow toped, inter springs.
In 1650 Connecticut made a law that every child should go to school so that they could learn how to read the bible and be able to support themselves. Now most people only go to school for one of those things, so that we can support our selves. Things have changed tremendously since colonial times and we have progressed in so many ways.
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ReplyDeleteOf course we all know 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue, but the first settlement was Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. Between that time England had been around their but did not have any long term settlements.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like the mindset of Americans hasn’t changed to much over the past couple hundred yrs. (other than wanting to be their own nation, and have freedom of religion) They all wanted to pay off debts, make money, have a large house, have a great family, and of course make a quick buck. It is what we now call the American dream.
Unfortunately what they didn’t realize was that England, their own country, was using them just to make money for their own benefit. Believe it or not but our government is the same way today. Most of the time they make it look like it benefits the people then years later all it does is help the government and especially the people within it.
Something else I noticed was how much they used there navy’s then. Unfortunately for England this didn’t help them much during Americas most important war the Revolutionary War. So a lot has changed between the couple hundred years but if you really think about it the main mindset for colonists those days and Americans these days are almost identical.
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ReplyDeleteLiving like the pilgrims would be very hard. Its so different then the fast pace, get what you want, when you want society that we live in. You have to work for everything you have, from dusk. They couldnt just run down the street to Mcdnalds for there instant gratification, they definatly wernt lovin it, like we do.
ReplyDeleteI just couldnt imagine have watered down dirt floors in my house, the windows open all summer, and have everything lit by candle lite! Life for boys my age would get up at dawn everyday, and hunt, fish, and carry thatch for roofing, till dawn, when they would then, get buckets of water from the spring back to the livestock, milked the cows, fed the hens, and took them to the meadows. They rarely had time to play, but when all the work was done, they would play games like tug o war, hide and go seek, cats the cradle, ice skating, and my favorite, doll playing! JUST KIDDING! They didnt have Xbox, Playstation, or the computer when they got bored, because, there wasnt really any boredom in the colonies, because there was all ways work being done, and work that needed to be done.
In conclusion, well how can i put this, THE COLONIAL LIFE STUNK! And i would not enjoy it one bit.
I'm going to do my answer on jobs that the colonists had.
ReplyDeleteThe first job I'm going to talk about is the blacksmith. As most people know blacksmiths work with metal. They did this by heating the metal until it was red hot. When in this state the metal became maleable. Once in this state the smithy uses a hammer to shape the metal into any shape they want whether it be a horse shoe a garden or farm tool or a weapon like a sword.
The next job is a miller. A miller is the person who ran the mill. The mill was one of the most important parts of the colonial society. Without a mill the towns people would have on way to grind their wheat or corn for flower. Without flower the colonists would be missing one of the most important staples of their diet bread.
The next and final job is a wheelwright. As you probably deduced the wheelwright makes wheels for wagons, carriages and carts. This job was also very important to colonial life.
Colonial gunsmith
ReplyDeleteTo be a gunsmith in colonial times, you had to be precise and talented in several trades. It demanded the skills of a blacksmith, whitesmith, founder, and woodworker to even construct a gun. They assembled a weapon using wood and metal. An apprenticeship lasting five to seven years was where they mainly learned these complex skills. This apprenticeship began when a boy was between 12 and 14 years of age and finally ended by the time he was 21. That had to have been tough for a young guy to start that early. Back then, kids worked hard to prepare for making a living later on.
Contrary to what I would have thought, gunsmiths didn’t just build guns. They often repaired bells, shoe buckles, and even axes. They really spent more time repairing arms and other objects than just building rifles. Imported firearms were much cheaper and more convenient than those made in colonial Virginia. (It probably would’ve changed a lot for the better if that wasn’t the case, but who knows)
A certain famous gunsmith was James Geddy. He was born in Scotland in 1710 and eventually immigrated to the colonies. He was a gunsmith and brass founder living in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1738. I thought I’d mention him since gunsmiths now showcase their work at the James Geddy site in Williamsburg.
These guys really were vital to our young country. They were trained well in many areas so they could supply the nation and keep the whole system of work running. Well, that’s all I got. I learned a few things, and I’m looking forward to the next assignment.
In the beginning of western civilization, there was England, Spain, France, and Portugal set to colonize a new world for their own gain. England eventually dominated the other colonies. During the first year, colonial life was very harsh; more and more people died during the winter. Mainly Protestants and people who couldn’t pay their debts came to escape imprisonment or prosecution. Over time the colonies learned how to adapt, started to produce their own supplies and food, and had functioning governments. The towns had developed from being just a wooden fort to a great city with brick buildings, towers, and a wonderful infestructure. Horses provided transportation. The colonies had grown so much that they started functioning by themselves, so they no longer needed England.
ReplyDeleteColonial life was hard, most people were farmers. An amputation meant cutting your leg off with a saw with alcohol as an anesthetic. Where today’s technology was just beginning, all they had were candles for lighting and homemade muskets that black powder had to be poured down the barrel every time it was fired. The British put tax after tax on the colonies, so living steadily became more expensive. Eventually the colonies broke free from England in a bloody but victorious revolution. If they hadn’t, I would not be typing this now.
Alex was right, colonial life is horrible, but sombody had to do it, and I am glad they did.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jakob, exept that today's modern ships or no longer powered by steam, they are powered by many diesel engins that turn electical generators which supplies power to electrical moters on the ship. Also, some military ships oporate on nuclear fisson of uranum to creat a large amount of steam wich is more than enough to power the ship. One such fessil is the air craft carrier USS Enterprise. Also sea travil is now used mainly for military and comercial luxury and cargo. purposes. Sea travel is now obsolete for commercial transportation of people.
ReplyDeleteThe family
ReplyDeleteThe family in colonial times was important. Each and every person in the household played certain roles. It was very important to the suvival of the family that these roles were played out. The family was normally quite large. The colonial family unlike many of ours today was preety tight knit. They ate together always, spent what time they had in the evenings together, they had fun together, and they worked together.
The mens roles werent as many but yet they were difficult. The men were the head of the household and were not to be challenged by any means. They worked hard to earn a living for their family they normally had a specific job or trade. Such as the blacksmith, miller, gunsmith or tanner. the men also did a lot of the plowing, harvesting, and planting. Hunting was also done by the men and older boys.
The women had many many roles they had to play out. They had to cook, clean, make clothes, take care of their family, care for the animals, make household goods to use and sell, and help tend to the gardens. The women didnt have much freedom whatsoever. Once married they had no control over earnings, inheritance, or property. They also didnt have a right to vote or appear in court. So women worked hard with not much freedom or rest. They worked from dawn til dark even when they were sick or pregnant.
The children had a hard life. They had to work hard, study hard, and be extremely obedient and respectful. The consequences of being disobenient or disrespectful or not doing your work were very very unpleasant. The boys went to school if their parents could afford it and they were able to go through high school. The boys also helped their father with his work and many times learned the trade of their father. Theyhelped plow, plant, and harvest. The older boys helped with hunting while the younger ones helped with the farm chores. The girls on the other hand didnt often attend school but instead stayed home an helped their mothers and learned the skills needed when they were married and had children. However when the girls did attend school they only got an education til highschool and after that only boys attended highschool. Girls were normally married at the ages of 14-15. ( I have to say that HAD to suck to be married at that young an age). They also werent always married for love but instead for economic benefitts.
When a look at this i think wow we Americans have it awefully easy in todays world. We have almost everything we want when we want it. The colonials Americans went without and had to work hard for what they did have. Yeah sure I have quite a few chores ( I also live in a big family ) but I dont have to work like a lot of those people did and for that I'm thankful.
Back in the colonial times trades were a very important thing. Because if people wanted something made they had to find someone to make this item, or if they wanted some clothes made they had to fine someone to make them they couldn't just go buy them like we do today.
ReplyDeleteSay you were a blacksmith then you would have a very important job. You would make horseshoes, pots, knives, plows, etc. These things would be important to anyone. You need a plow for growing crops. horseshoes for your horse which is your only transportation. And you needed pots and knives to eat the crops you grow with your plow you had made so it all kind of goes together.
A miller is a very important job to because you would need to take corn and wheat to him to make cornmeal or flower. And any other extra you had you could take and trade for other goods.
Another important job was a printer. A printer would print all the newspapers and books.
In my opinion these were some of the most important jobs, and would bring in the most money. I’m sure that people think that there are more important jobs, but not in my opinion and my opinion is the only one that matters.
I agree with what Morgan said. And to my knowledge that's how it was like. All of the familys spent their time together and they each had their own roles that they played.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Alex said even though he put it in a different way then most would. It made plenty of sense and was very true none of us today could make it back then.
ReplyDeleteFounded on the Bible
ReplyDeleteWho:the Colonists
When:1777
What:The school system
Where:Colonies
Why: Religious Freedom
When the colonies were established, they - like all civilized people groups - had to form a school system. Some form of education for their children be brought up with. Sadly, for the most part, it was only the children of the wealthy who were privileged enough to go school and even then, only the boys were permitted to go on to higher learning such as high school or college.
Moving on, what did they learn by? They didn't have textbooks such as we have. They had a small primer for the purpose of learning to read and write and do simple math. They had a "Hornbook" which contained the alphabet and numbers, but more importantly, it also contained "The Lord's Prayer." What was their other "textbook"? The Bible. How amazing is that?! They only learned how to read, write, do simple math, but most importantly, they had to learn and study the Scriptures.
Now, this is just my thought process. Feel free to disagree. However, when I read about this, I thought, "How could anybody say that we are not a Christian Nation?" Seriously, the colonists left their homelands of England, France, Spain, and Holland to come to a place where they could start fresh and they're trying to establish a school system and they decide that a student should memorize and know "The Lord's Prayer" and well as they would know the alphabet. They decide that the curriculum should include the Bible. They had the option to form any kind of school system they want, and those were the choices they made. How can anyone say that we are not a Christian nation? How far have we strayed from what those colonists(who fought so hard for that religious freedom) intended the New World to be? The better question perhaps is can we ever get back?
A gunsmith was a very important job during the colonial times. It required the skill of a blacksmith, a white smith, a founder, and a wood worker to build the gun. It required fine detail work on steel and iron,and the carving of decorative designs, hammering casting brass and silver into complex shapes, and engraving hard and soft metals to complete a gun. To be a blacksmith it required precision, a steady hand, and good eye site. It usually took six or seven years to learn how how to do this threw apprenticeship. The most common way apprenticeship worked was by on the job training. Their employer would help them with their trade in exchange for there service after they became skilled.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that was hard on the colonial gunsmiths, was that imported fire arms were cheaper. But what kept them in businesses is that they fixed more guns then they made, they also fixed axes, shoe buckles and many other materials made by blacksmiths. But when the revolutionary war started guns smith's business went up.
From Glock to Kimber Guns smith's were the start of the major gun companies in the world today. The original art of gun's smithing is not lost it is still in existence today. You can find some in the original colonies of America.
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ReplyDeleteThe aspect of Colonial life I will focus on is currency. (this includes specie and trading.) Many of the people going over to the "New World" were very poor trying to alleviate financial stress on their lives. This means many of them came with little to no specie, a majority using the last of it on their long journey from Europe. This made it hard for colonists having to start up from nothing in the Americas.
ReplyDeleteUp to this point barter had been the main way to purchase services or goods. Bartering is trading something you need or need done for something someone else needs or needs to get done. The main problem with this is that the British expected to get all the goods from the colonists and give British luxuries in return(like pewter and mirrors). This, as I will later discuss, help set things up for the Revolution.
One of the first attempts at a currency was Wampum. Wampum was introduced in 1627 by Dutch who traded with the Indians often. Wampum are beads made of the quahog shell used for currency and jewlery. Wampum were way to fragile for daily use and poor shells and artificial colors reduced its overall value. All of these things caused it to no longer be legal tender in 1661.
Another form of payment was commodity payment. Commodity payment is where the main commodity of a colony would become the tender of that colony. Livestock, rice, gun shot, and tabacco are some of the many things used for commodity pay. The two main problems were these things often spoiled and since the value depended on supply and demand prices fluxuated wildly.
Colonists also used other countries specie as a form of payment. The most common specie being the Spanish piece-of-eight.(It was literally divided into eighths) This form of payment faced a similar problem as commodity payment it was hard to get a solid price. For example a Spanish piece-of-eight or Spanish dollar may be worth a dozen eggs in one colony but just one colony over you may only be able to buy six. It all depended on how many of that coin were circulating in that colony at the time.
Skip forward a couple more bad ideas(like bills of credit and easily counterfeited coins) and a war for Independence; and America finally created a more stable system with National Bank Notes (Something only possible with a stronger central government) and eventually got us to where we are today. Life in colonial times would've been very hard with the economy as wild as it was, and they did all this to make things better for their decendents(us). Like many of my classmates have said before me, I'm so thankful that I do not live in a time like that. A time where even the method of payment changed often. I'm thankful and glad that someone else was there to persevere through some of the hardest times in American history.
Life in Colonial America
ReplyDeleteThe Colonial Period (1607-1776) was a time of settling, farming, and starting new lives with freedom and opportunities. People came from Europe, Spain, Holland, and France to start colonies. One of the colonies formed was The New York Colony. It was claimed by Holland and its settlers were Dutch. First it was called New Netherland but was later changed to New York. Within New York was New York City which was the trading center.
The Farmers within the colonies grew corn and other crops. They also raised livestock some of which were horses and pigs. They used the horses for transportation and the pigs made great bacon, pork, and sausage. They had to smoke, salt, or pickle their foods to keep them from spoiling.
Some of the colonies main trades include Blacksmiths, cabinetmakers, coopers, millers, printers, and wigmakers. The blacksmiths were very important to the people because they made tools, utensils, and horseshoes. These were things that every family would need. Another important trade to the people was the printers because they made the newspapers and books which is where the people mainly get all their information.
The clothing of the people was very different from what we wear today. Men wore odd shaped hats and short pants. Their shirts had large cuffs and depending on how wealthy you were you might have silk, satin, or velvet clothing. The women on the other hand wore long skirts and blouses made of linen and wool. Most the time they also wore aprons. The kids wore dresses until they were five no matter if you were a boy or a girl. Although when you reached the age of five boys began to wear pants below the knee.
So as you see they did not have to rely on England or anyone else for their products. They made their own things and began making more and more and trading them with the Indians. The Indians in return helped them with growing crops. They grew as a colony and many other colonies were formed eventually forming the United States of America.
David I liked yours a lot, because it was something I never would have thought of. The colonists did have quite a task on their hands when it came to the type of financial system they were going to use, plus you described it well and in detail. =)
ReplyDeleteRaphael I def. agree with what you said about bookmaking/printing. I mean today if you need to type up and essay for school, and print it out, it takes what an hour tops. You click on the Microsoft Word icon and start pressing letters. Imagine having to spell them out backwards first. Wow. Great job on your essay.
ReplyDeleteCharity i agree with what you say. The world has changed a lot in every aspect. We are able to do more than what they did. Children are raised different even there morals and standers. Some things have changed for the the good and some for the worst. But great job on your essay
ReplyDeleteAshley i like what you said about the schools. Those kids didn't have much but to some of them it probably seemed a lot. To those who came from a family with nothing and those who were born in the colony. But to some it wasn't a lot at all. But i believe it was cold for everyone and great job on the essay
ReplyDeleteJarred, I agree with you. I prsonaly think that we all too often forget that there was someone here before us. I can't imagine what it would be like to have everything that I have grown up to love stolen from me. This is something I have thought a lot about in the past ( my family has Native American in it) and I have always wondered how I would have reacted if it was me.
ReplyDeleteJarred I've thought about it from the stand point of a native american people before.
ReplyDeleteI love my country, but they loved their country as well. Its a real shame we go without recongnising all of the contributions native americans made to early america.
Madyson and Sams I like the topic you two covered. It's interesting because most of take the Justice system for granted. Honestly, how many times a day do we think, "Thank God for the judicial system?" There are many things we take for granted as Americans but I think this is something that needs more focus.
ReplyDeleteI've gotta say biggin the importance of guns cannot be overlooked. But when people talk about moving forward in the production of firearms there is nothing wrong with taking an industrial path on neccesary items for means of protection. The guns of colonial times were a bit harder to come by so the handmade stuff was definitely valuable.
ReplyDeleteMorgan, your essay on the family was interesting. I know my family personally does not get the opportunity to do too much together with my extra curricular activities and Abby's; and both of my parents working. I also think the parts about the children as they got were interesting. Like how the boy usually went into the family trade and how the girl was forced to marry for economical reasons. All-in-all, great essay.
ReplyDeleteand my comment above the comment i made on morgan is supposed to say Mady and Sam
ReplyDeleteDavid, I had no idea that the form of currency was so complicated only a couple hundred years ago. It would be very difficult to live when the money you earned was constantly becoming worthless. I, too, am thankful that I didn’t have to endure the hardships that the colonists did, but I’m glad that our country thought of a reasonable form of payment.
ReplyDeleteJarred, you’re absolutely right. Although I’m glad to be living in America, I wish that the Native Americans weren’t treated so terribly so I could live here. And the sad thing is, they didn’t HAVE to be treated so horribly, in fact the colonists probably would’ve been better off if they had treated them with respect. The Pilgrims became friends with the Native Americans, and if it wasn’t for Squanto the Pilgrims would’ve died.
ReplyDeleteAlex, What you said was really good.
ReplyDeleteBut i disagree, I think living back in the colonial times would amazing. And even in this day in age we do haft to work for that food at Mc donalds, don't we haft to go to a place everyday and work for the money that payed for that food? Well we don't, most of us don't, But our parents do. Most of us Look at the things we have and take them for granit like what you were saying about the computers and play station games. I guess what im trying to say is that they did have time for fun and they did play games. They looked upon life as if everyday wasn't to waste. But us kids now are stuck up in the house playing games all the tyme.
Yes, it was hard living as a pilgrim, But isnt just as hard now or even worse? Then they could build a house and live in peace without enyone taxing them and or kicking them out of there house. But now we have multiple things that we have to pay for to keep our homes.
Sorry that i got kinda defensive lol (: but enyways i liked reading your Essay Alex, It was really good.
Morgan,
ReplyDeleteEven though yours was Veryy Long lol It was intriguing and well thought. I Liked it and you made some really good points in it too, like were us children don't haft to work that much like they did back then.
Alex
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said. Colonial life would be horable. I would hate not having any of the modern comforts that I enjoy. They not only had to work from dusk to dawn but they didn't bath regularly. Thats why colonial life stunk. Any way you made some good points and I agee whith what you said.
I agree with what Vanessa said 100%. If the colonists thought important to teach their children to study the Bible and did so much for their own religious freedoms, then it must be important. Sadly the importance of the Bible has left most of America. I can only pray that people will come to know the truth before it is to late.
ReplyDeleteBen Rice
ReplyDeleteCould you have picked a more girly subject to do your answer on. You had some good points about the quiltes but comon whats the worts that could happen without candles. They might stub their toe on the way to the out house, but seriously you had some good points and your right without those things the colonists would not have been able to live in the conditions of the new world.
Alex I agree with you when you said life would have been very hard. However I disagree with you when you say that life in the colonies would have sucked. Yes life would have been hard, but poeple take a lot of things for granted now. The colonists had everything that they had, you didn't just go out and buy it, and when you finished it you had the satisfaction of knowing that you made something with your own two hands.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading Dsams essay it was very interesting learning how everything changed drastically in curency and it happened almost all the time at one time there would be shels for currency then they would barter items and then they would be using Spanish peices of eight it was very interesting and you did a good job.
ReplyDeletebgruk i thought yours was very interesting and i agree that you do need sleep having quilts would be very important for keeping warm in the winter and for sleeping. Candles would also be very important for being in the dark and not seeing something like an axe on the ground and hurting yourself severely candles could be very important for everyday use.
ReplyDeleteAshley Glass you made a good point about going to school and how back then they didnt really have the technology and paper and pens and all that we have tody. And girls werent even allowed to go to highschool. We shounld be thankful for the technology and supplies that we have that makes our school related life a whole lot easier. And that girls can go through highschool and college now. even though I dislike school sometimes I looove learning and to think that back then I woulnt have been able to go to school make me thankful I have to go.
ReplyDeleteSam Wier you made a good point. Punishment is necessary for the function of our country( even though noone likes it.) And it has changed a lot since colonial times . And Im glad that the system of punishment has changed bc it was pretty harsh back then.
ReplyDeleteI definitely liked vanessa's. You had a good point on how our nation IS a christian nation. The Bible was a textbook, and they learned the Lord's Prayer. I think it's obvious too.
ReplyDeleteAlex, your's was cool. It was quite funny, but you were right. You said that you would basically despise colonial life.(same here) Now we have so much to do and are lazy.(myself included) Back then, they worked about all day and hardly had any freetime to ease boredom. The work just needed to be done. I'm one to say that colonial work ethic had a great effect leading to how great our country is now.
ReplyDeleteAshley, your essay should really make us all think. We need to be so grateful, we are so blessed. Back in those days, they wanted education so they did whatever it took. Today we completely take it for granted.
ReplyDeleteOne of the many things that played part in the early American colonies was people with skills to make goods and supplies. Such as blacksmiths, furniture makera, farmers, cartenders, ect...Without this the colonies would not have been able to trade the goods to other countries, native Indian tribes, or among themselves. One of the more important colonial occupations was the farmers and the hunters, without these guys where would the food come from. Also another critical job was blacksmiths to forge tools, sullied, ect...
ReplyDeleteMorgan. I am thankful for the rights women have today unlike what you described from the colonial days. I can't imagine what it would have been like to live the life of a girl in that time frame. Being married at around 14-15?!?! Goodness gracious that would be like me being married. wow!!! I am so glad I didn't live in that time. I don't think i'd be able to do it. Women have come so far since then I mean look at what happened at this past election. Now I am a Republican but I gotta give some credit to Hilary Clinton for having the guts to run for president. And Sarah Palin!! wow!! It would have been great if she had been the vice president!! She had alot of courage also for going out there and trying to become the first female vice president!! I am just amazed at how far women have come in life from way back then to today.
ReplyDeleteCharity. What you said about the houses that they lived in back in that time made me think how in the world I could of done that and to be honest I couldn't have. Haveing dirt as the floor?!?! wow. I play softball so I get dirt all over me but living in it would be very uncomfotable. And not having my own room that would hard as well. I shared a room with my sister when I was younger but now that I'm older I think I'd have a hard time with that. I'm just so thankful I have things that they didn't have back in that day and time.
ReplyDeleteI don't usually comment on things you guys have written, but I must make an exception this time. Morgan's post (and Ashley's response) about the role and opportunities afforded to women in those days deserves some thought. Why do you think women were unable to vote in the US until the 1920s? That's 300 years of male-only voting! Women have just barely been let in to the upper reaches of political power. 75 years ago a woman was chosen to be part of FDR's cabinet. No woman has ever been Pres or VP. Only a few have ever served in the Senate, and we've only this summer seen our third female SC justice. Why do you think it took so long for women to receive suffrage (the right to vote)? What are the contributing factors? Hmm...I'd be interested in hearing what you all have to say.
ReplyDeleteOh, and DSams, I think wampum is an extraordinarily useful term for money. Somehow, I think that it encapsulates the true power of finance!
ReplyDeleteColby, I really loved your essay about the jobs. It really made me stop and think, "Wow, if I were dropped on a deserted island, could I build a shelter? Could I make tools? Would I have the skills to survive?" I seriously doubt it. I'll be the first to admit, I am way too reliant on our modern technology. I don't think I would have the skill it required for them to start a new civilization.
ReplyDeleteJ Byrd, I really enjoyed reading your essay about colonial music because as a major music freak and minor musician, music is a massive part of my life. Obviously, it was a large part of theirs too. It found it very interesting.
Vanessa I deffinatey agree with you that it was awesome that children learned to read from the bible. I mean while they were learning to read they were also learning about God. This way they learned about God just in everyday school.
ReplyDeleteBiggin, i liked what you had to say about a blacksmith. The skill it takes to make such a detailed intricate weapon like they did back then would take years to master. I learned that impotered guns were cheaper, i would have thought that they would be more expensive, because they had to bring them over to america. good essay, i was drawn in and impressed.
ReplyDeleteCharity, i liked your comment on my essay. About the Mcdonals thing, yes you do have to work to get food, but what i was stating in my essay, was that they would have to work twice for there food. ( unless they were eating there livestock) if not, they had to hunt it, Buy a gun, and wait hours to find a wild boar or turkey to shoot, skin it, get all the good meat, cook it for hours, and that process took all day. Unlike us, we dont have to prepare it, we just run down to Mcdonalds, shell out a few bucks, and eat.
ReplyDeleteStotts I agree with you that we take a lot of things for granted. We get and have so many priviledges as Americans. They seem like nothing to us sometimes but if we were to look at other countries and the colonies for instance we would realize how good we have it.
ReplyDeletewhen we think of slavery it takes us back to a dark time in americas history. we all know that it was terriable but we can never know how it felt. some of the slaves wanted people to konw. this is some of their stories.
ReplyDeletea young girl by the name of alice gaston had to watch as a group of white men came and took her father, two sisters, and brother away from her. she never saw them agan. we dont know wht kinda ain the muxt have been for a little girl to watch that. also there was another woman by the name of martha albert who was falsly accused of hurting someone and then was takin to a peach orchard tied to a tree and was whiped numerous times. there is hundreds of stories just like these that we dont know yet. wha twe did was a terrrible things to these people. and we will never know how mucht hey fully suffered