LIFE IN THE COLONIES:SECTIONS 4.1, 4.2;

INTRODUCTION, LIFE ON THE FARM

By: Brooke Filtz, Tanner Hoerter, Laura Kelble, and Dalton Guinn

The colonial people were homebodies.  There was a lot of work to be done and everyone had to work hard.  Every person in the family had to do their share of work.     Colonial men had to hunt for wild birds and animals.  They also cut down trees for firewood and planted and harvested crops.  Planting was done in the spring and harvesting was done in the fall.  There were gardens to weed and corn rows to hoe.  Most of the men were farmers, but some trained to do different trades.  Farm work was very hard and there were always chores to do.         The children of a colonial family also had their chores to do.  They were always working.  They would start doing chores at a very early age because laziness was considered a sin. Boys in colonial times would work just as hard as their fathers. They would walk around the fields barefoot and help the plants by pulling out the weeds. They also had the job of caring for the animals and running any errands. Boys would also learn to hunt with their fathers.  They would also learn to make furniture and repair broken barrels and buckets.      Colonial life was very hard, but everyone knew they had to help to make their home successful. 

MEET THE FAMILY…

Mrs. Douglas

Mary-Anne Douglas

Mr. DouglasJimmy Douglas

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MRS. AND MARY-ANNE DOUGLAS

Their morning starts out before sunrise. Mrs. Douglas wakes up then goes downstairs to start breakfast. When the men go off to the field, Mary-Anne goes to help her mother with the daily chores. These chores consist of gathering eggs, spinning thread, weaving cloth, sewing clothes, making candles and soap, cooking, and cleaning. (If there were younger children they would care for them.) Cooking was one of the most dangerous jobs; while lifting or stirring the pots of food, she might have burned her hands, scorched her clothes, or strained her back.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MR. AND JIMMY DOUGLAS

As with the women of the family, morning starts before sunrise. But their chores include: cutting wood, feeding animals, clearing land, tending crops, building fences, and making furniture and tools

Plow- used for tending to the fields

Anvil and sledge hammer- used to make tools and horse shoes. Used to shape metal

Saws and pliers- used for making tools, and completing specific jobs on the farm. With the saw, they would have cut wood for fires, and possibly for an addition to their house. The pliers were used for removing horse-shoes.

Tools Used in Colonial Times

The fire is always kept burning, because it is incredibly difficult to start a new one.

Benjamin Franklin was born into a large family. He was the 15th child of seventeen children in the family. His father, Josiah, was a candlemaker.

His father wanted him to take over the family business when he grew up, but he wasn't interested. Benjamin learned how to do many things by watching others work, but he didn't want to pursue any of the trades.

When Ben was twelve years old his father apprenticed him to his older brother James, who was a printer. Ben had to sign "articles of indenture” which was a contract that bound him to work for James for nine years until he was 21 years old! He worked twelve hours a day in the printing shop, but still found time to educate himself. Though he only had two years of formal schooling, he taught himself foreign languages and read books on grammar, science, and math.

The Youth of Ben Franklin

James got into trouble and was imprisoned. He was told he could no longer publish the newspaper. He decided he would have Ben publish the paper for him, even though it was illegal because Ben was his apprentice. He told Ben he would tear up his contract if he would publish the newspaper while he was in prison. So Ben published the paper. Later James tried to hold him to the original "articles of indenture", but he failed because the authorities would find out he had illegally put Ben in charge of the paper. So James could not write a new contract binding Ben to him. The two brothers fought constantly.

Finally Ben ran away and went to Philadelphia. He started his own successful printing business and published a newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette, for many years. He is most famous for "Poor Richard's Almanack" which he published for 25 years. People frequently quote from his sayings such things as, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise“ and "A penny saved is a penny earned". Ben followed this rule all his life and accomplished more than most men of his time.

He was able to get the cooperation of people by giving credit for ideas to others rather than taking the credit himself. He started the Junto club where people could come together to exchange ideas. As a result of these meetings he started the first library in America, the first volunteer fire department in Philadelphia, and the first hospital in Pennsylvania.

He invented the lightning rod to protect people's homes from being destroyed by lightning.

He invented bifocal glasses so he would not have to switch glasses when looking at things far away and close up.

He invented the Franklin stove which provided better heat for their homes. He refused to patent the Franklin stove and the lightning rod because he thought more people would benefit from the inventions if he did not patent them.

He proved that lightning and electricity are the same thing using a kite, string, and key in a thunderstorm. His experiments earned him fame. He was also awarded honorary degrees from Harvard and Yale even though he lacked formal schooling.

He made studies of the Gulf Stream while on voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. He started the University of Pennsylvania.

He served as a diplomat to France and spent about 10 years away from his family to further the cause of American independence. The people of France loved him dearly and honored him in many ways.

He helped to write the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

He also worked to put an end to slavery in America long before others took up the cause.

Some say when he died in 1790 the whole civilized world went into mourning. 20,000 people honored him at his funeral in Philadelphia.

People still visit his grave today and throw pennies on his headstone. Every year $6,000 worth of pennies are collected and given in his honor to help the poor.

POP QUIZ1.) When does the Family wake up? (Not exact time) 2.) What is one reason cooking was dangerous? 3.) List 3 chores colonial women would do. 4.) List 3 chores colonial men Jimmy and his father would do. 5.) List one tool and what it was used for. 6.) Who slept in the loft? 7.) Were there stairs in the colonial houses?

8.) What is the name of the brother that Ben Franklin worked for?

9.) List three things that Benjamin Franklin invented.

10.) What book is Ben most famous for?  

ANSWERS TO POP QUIZ 1) Before sunrise 2) The cook can get burned, scorch her clothes, or strain her back. Any of those are

possible answers. 3) Any of these three: Cooking, cleaning, making candles/soap, sewing clothes,

weaving cloth, spinning thread, gathering eggs, and caring for babies 4) Any of these three: Cutting wood, feeding animals, clearing land, tending crops,

building fences, and making furniture/tools. 5)Any one of these: Plow: tending to the fields/crops.

Anvil: making tools or horseshoes. Used to shape metal.

Saw: Used to cut wood for the fire or adding on to their house. Pliers: used to remove horseshoes from the horses’ hooves.

6) The older kids slept in the loft. 7) No, but there were ladders. 8) James 9) Bifocals, lightning rod, and Franklin stove 10) Richard’s Almanac