• Because colonists spent most of their time trying to survive in a new world, most of the art created was functional—created to be used in everyday life.

• Most of the functional art was also very beautiful.

• The colonists made beautiful silverwork, furniture, dishes, fabrics, quilts, and needlework.

• As time passed, the colonists’ interest in art grew. Wealthy colonists decorated their homes with European art.

• American painters usually studied and started their careers in Europe.

• During this time, colonial artists focused on painting portraits.

• Some of the most famous portraits of the time are portraits of George Washington by artists such as Charles Willson Peale.

Silver Teapot, Paul Reverehttp://chisnell.com/art/Colonial%20and%20Enlightenment/Forms/Gallery.aspx

Colonial Needleworkhttp://www.ushistory.org/washingtoncrossing/kids/chores.htm

Portrait of George Washington by Charles Willson Pealehttp://www.history.org/history/paintings/george_washington/

• Colonial dances were the same dances colonists had performed in Europe.

• These dances are called folk dances because they were created by regular people, not choreographers.

• People came together for social dances. This brought the people together as a community to have fun and socialize.

• Colonists did not dance in pairs. They danced in lines, with couples facing each other or in circles.

• All dances had particular steps that dancers were supposed to know. Dancers did not make up their own steps.

• Wealthy parents even hired “dancing masters” to teach their children the correct steps.

• A famous colonial dance was the Virginia Reel.

The Galena Historic Dance Societyhttp://www.anniewiggins.com/historic_dance.html

• Most of the music heard in colonial homes and concert halls was the same as that heard in Europe.

• Mozart, Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi were famous European composers of the time.

• During the colonial period, the piano was a new instrument, and it began to replace the harpsichord.

• Violins and flutes were common instruments.• Church music was also very important to the

colonists.

Harpsichord by Andreas Ruckershttp://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/Keyboards/RuckersHarpsichord10000/Ruckers1643.html

Colonial Pianohttp://www.ngaiopress.com/pianocontents.htm

Colonial Fluteshttp://www.apsva.us/Page/6516

• By the colonial period, there were several theaters in America, particularly in the southern colonies.

• An evening at a colonial theater lasted five to six hours. An evening usually involved a play, dancing, music, and other performances, such as juggling.

• The plays and actors who performed in the colonies were largely from Europe. The works of William Shakespeare were very popular.

• In some colonies, “playacting” was not allowed. In these places, it was considered bad by the church, possibly because it took people’s time away from their work at hand.

Arts & Humanities: The Student HandbookArts & Humanities: The Student HandbookElementary Edition—Intermediate Grades 4-5Elementary Edition—Intermediate Grades 4-5

By Katie Fraser CarpenterBy Katie Fraser Carpenter