Lifestyles in the 19th Century

Chapter 5

Lifestyles

Includes such things as housing, diet, transportation, communication and entertainment.

In the 1800’s, housing, eating habits and social activities were directly related to people’s livelihoods.

EX: the lifestyle of a merchant would be different from a fisherman

Lifestyles

Lifestyles of people were shaped by where people lived, how they earned a living , resources available to them and the traditions they followed.

Housing

A Person’s house reflected how they made a living.

i.e. Fishermen would live near the sea, lumberjacks would be further inland closer

to the forest

Labrador

Many fishermen lived in Tilts during the summer fishing season.

Tilts - A structure made of logs and packed with moss

Labrador residents lived in smaller more isolated groups to have easier access to

natural resources.

In the Cities

In St. John’s row houses were common for the middle class

Business men and government officials could afford to build larger and more elaborate

homes.

Types of Houses

Salt Box - Square house with peaked roof design.

Square Roof - Square house with flat roof

Mansard Roof - Has a curved shaped roof pointing outwards at the bottom.

The Interior

The kitchen was the most used room in the house

Here the family ate, worked, and entertained themselves

Housing pg. 98

Questions:

1. Describe the home of a fisherman in Labrador.

2. Describe the housing of people in business and government.

3. What is a saltbox house?4. Describe 2 types of roof designs in

Newfoundland.5. Why was the kitchen considered to be

important in a house?

Food and Diet

The types of food people ate in the 1800’s varied depending on their economic status.

Aboriginal People consumed food from the land and sea.

Self-sufficient NL settlers also ate game and fish, especially cod. Once settled, they would rely on their own gardens and vegetables.

Food and Diet

Wealthy families were able to purchase expensive luxuries like spices and dried fruits.

Many foods, like flour, tea, peas, etc.. were imported from the west indies and Euro

By 1924, Newfoundlanders were manufacturing many of their own food products.

Questions Food and Diet p. 100

1. Give some examples of food consumed by Aboriginal peoples2. What would wealthier families do with their expensive luxuries?3. What improved distribution of locally made products throughout NL?4. What food, now considered a delicacy, was regarded as a food for the poor and destitute?

Entertainment and Recreation

There was not a lot of spare time in the 1800’s/1900’s for recreational activities.

Characteristic people were valued for their ability to tell stories and histories.

Entertainment

Storytelling: the telling of legends and fables which forms a community’s collective

memory.

Song, music, dance, and card playing.

Guy Fawkes Night (bonfire night) Nov 5th.

Big events: weddings, holidays, the end to trapping season...

Christmas

Special Food

Gifts could include things like meat and fish

Each community had their own traditions, while others were universal across the

island.

Entertainment and Recreation

“Copying Pans” – children jump from one floating ice pan to another as a form of entertainment.

Mummering – disguised people visit homes during the winter.

Games – rounders, piddly, tug o war – Many life skills were practiced in childhood games.

Sports – The Royal St. John’s Regatta

Questions Pg. 102

1) How did Aboriginal peoples entertain themselves?

2) Name 2 of them most common instruments used in traditional NF music.

3) Name 2 summer activities4) What is a Nalujuit? what did it do?

5) What children’s activities originated because people lived by the sea?

6) What did children use as snow slides?

Community Life

The church played an active role, providing many services including education.

The church was often the center of religious, social and educational life: choir, Sunday School.

Schools were run by charitable organizations or missionary groups.

Newfoundland School Society aimed to provide free education to all denominations.

Health Care

The basis of health care in 1800’s was community.

Used plants and home remedies passed down from generation to generation

Women took care of the sick and pregnant but trained nurses were a minority.

Few hospitals as most medical care took place in the home.

Poverty and poor diet caused numerous diseases.

Questions pg. 110 - 114

1. What is the NSS, and why did it gradually decline?2. What was done to cure snow blindness?3. What was the purpose of hospitals?4.List 5 facts about Sir Wilfred Grenfell and Mary Southcott.

Communications

Contact with the outside world was limited.

The “grapevine” (word of mouth) and mail were used to communicate.

Communication was improved with the Telegraph, using morris code

NL became connected with the rest of North America. via underwater cables

Communications

Dec. 12th, 1901, Marconi received first wireless radio signal from England, on Signal Hill.

(Cabot Tower).

Transportation

The sea isolated Newfoundlanders but it also was a principal link to the rest of the world.

The steamer increased transportation, postal services, and newspaper distribution.

Roads were rare and inaccessible during winter.

Transportation

Travel existed by sled and dog, snowshoes and canoes

The railway construction in the late 1800’s increased transportation and opened up the

island.

Questions pg. 117

1) Who were the main contacts communities had with the outside world?2) What 2 points was the first transatlantic message between?3) What did residents do when steamers arrived in their town?4) Name 2 things Steamers brought with them