LIFE IN COLONIAL AMERICA
By Tim Lambert
Colonial Homes
The first houses in New England were simple wooden huts. They had timber frames covered in clapboard with thatched roofs. Rather than glass windows had sheets of paper soaked in oil. The first chimneys were of logs covered in plaster - an obvious fire hazard! The earliest houses were crowded, dark and drafty.
However people soon built more substantial houses. As they grew more prosperous they added new rooms. They also replaced oiled paper with glass windows.
In the late 17th century the main room in a prosperous New England home was called the keeping room. It was used as a living room and a dining room. In it carpets were placed on tables (they were too valuable to put on the floor!). Chairs were a luxury and often only dad had one. The rest of the family sat on benches. They used chests for storage.
In New Amsterdam buildings were, at first, made of wood but in time houses of stone or brick were erected. Thatched roofs were banned in 1657 (because of the risk of fire). Dutch settlers built houses in the same style as those at home.
by the early 18th century people on the American colonies lived in houses as comfortable as those in Europe. Wealthy people had finely carved furniture, wallpaper, china, silver and crystal and chairs were common.
Of course, for the poor things were different. Their houses were often small and crowded and their furniture was basic. They could not afford luxuries like silver but some ordinary people had pewter, which was sometimes called poor man's silver.
On the frontier in the 18th century life was very rough and people often lived in log cabins.
Colonial Food and Drink
In the 17th century it was not safe to drink water, it was too dirty. At first colonists were forced to use corn to make an alcoholic drink. Later beer and cider were common. For the wealthy wine and brandy were imported. For ordinary people rum became a popular drink in the late 17th century. In the 18th century tea became popular.
In the early 17th century colonists relied mainly on corn for food. It was made into bread or mush or was eaten with beans in a meal called succotash. Later in the 17th century other grains like rye, wheat and barley were grown. Colonists also grew vegetable like onions, turnips, parsnips and carrots. In the 18th century they grew potatoes. If meat was available stew was a popularmeal.
In the 17th century few people used forks although they became common in the 18th century. In the 17th century it was common for two or more people to share a wooden plate called a trencher.
To read more about the history of drink click here.
To read more about the history of food click here.
Colonial Clothing
At the beginning of the 17th century men wore starched collars called ruffs. Women wore frames made of wood or whalebone under their dresses. However the farthingale was soon discarded and the ruff evolved into a large lace collar (for those who could afford it!).
In the 17th century men wore knee length garments called breeches. They also wore stockings and boots.
On the upper body men wore linen shirts. In the early 17th century they wore a kind of jacket called a doublet with a cape on top. Men wore their hair long. They also wore beards.
In the late 17th century a man's doublet became a waistcoat and men wore a frock coat over it. With breeches it was rather like a three-piece suit. Men were now clean shaven and they wore wigs.
Women wore a linen garment called a shift. Over it they wore long dresses. The dress was in two parts the bodice and the skirt. Sometimes women wore two skirts. The upper skirt was gathered up to reveal an underskirt. Women in the 17th and 18th centuries did not wear panties.
In the 18th century men wore breeches and stockings. They also wore waistcoats and frock coats. They wore linen shirts. Both men and women wore wigs and for men three-cornered hats were popular. Men wore buckled shoes.
Women wore stays (a bodice with strips of whalebone) and hooped petticoats under their dresses.
Fashionable women carried folding fans.
Fashion was very important for the wealthy but poor people's clothes hardly changed at all.
To read more about the history of clothing click here.
Work in Colonial America
Most people in North America lived by farming. It was back breaking work and usually lasted from dawn to dusk. However in the south by the 18th century great plantations existed alongside the many small farms. From 1612 tobacco was grown in Virginia and in 1619 the first black slaves arrived. At first slaves were rare but during the late 17th century it became more and more common especially in the south.
In North America there were the same craftsmen found in Europe such as carpenters, coopers, tanners, millers and blacksmiths. There were also apothecaries who sold drugs.
By the 18th century most towns had specialised trades such as gunsmiths, locksmiths, clock and watch makers, silversmiths and cabinet makers.
In the north shipbuilding flourished in the 18th century and there were many shipwrights, caulkers, ropemakers, blockmakers and sailmakers.
By 1700 most towns also had a sawmill powered by water. In the North American colonies lumber was abundant. So were streams and rivers.
Colonial Pastimes
Pastimes in North America were the same as those in Europe. Horse racing was popular. So was cock fighting. Bull baiting was also a popular 'sport'. A bull was chained to a post and dogs were trained to attack it.
Hunting and fishing were also common as a way of obtaining food as well as for fun.
Gambling was very common and people placed bets on games like cards, dice, skittles and shuffleboard. Billiards was also a popular game.
To see a timeline of Colonial America click here.