Life in Colonial America

Colonial America is the area located in the eastern United States which also included a part of Canada. The period covered by this era begins at the time of the settlement up to the American Revolution. It was a time of great change and spelled adventure to many colonists who lived during that period.

How the colonies began
America before Columbus was a vast land peopled by different cultures, mainly by Indians. At the time, life revolved around simple economies of hunting, gathering, farming and fishing. It was Christopher Columbus whose exploration of the western hemisphere who opened the doors for expeditions from other countries, such as Spain, Portugal, France, the Netherlands and of course, England.

What life was like in colonial America
After settling in New England, Puritans began to build religious communities made up mostly of farmers and their families. The large portions of lands that politicians gave to the male settlers were divided and large portions went to those with higher social status. However, every male settler had enough tract of land to use to help feed his family.

Families lived in wooden houses and typical farmhouses had at least one storey. Chimneys were common and were often located in the central area of the house, where it provided warmth during cold days and was used for cooking.

A hall doubled as a work and dining area. One room, the parlor, is where the best furnishings were placed, along with the parent's bed. This is also the area where guests were entertained. As could be expected, a colonial house offered very little privacy.

As population grew from 100,000 in 1700 to more than triple that number in 1750, life in the farms became harder. As families began to expand, land was subdivided continually until the farm areas became too small in order to sufficiently support a growing family.

To correct this, farmers took land grants in untapped areas in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Those with enough money bought land in New Hampshire and in Vermont. Grass was planted for livestock feed and potatoes were farmed. To increase productivity, goods were exchanged as well as labor and service. It was not unusual for farmers to loan livestock or farm equipment or work together during harvests or for housework.

The men, women and children
Town meetings played an important part in colonial America. What was significant about this group of settlers is the democratic way with which it settled issues during town meetings. It was also the place and occasion where decisions were made regarding public officials, public construction and even taxes.

Many of the residents in New England were farmers and men had virtually complete dominance over their wives and children. A woman took her husband's last name after marriage, after which she lost her personal identity. This means that she could not vote, file lawsuits or even own property. Her sole role was as wife and mother to her husband and children, respectively.

Women usually got married in their late teens to their early 20s. The average number of children she had was 7. Life in a colonial American farm meant subsisting on what the land provided and daily needs such as clothing, food, soap and candles were made by hand.

Parents brought up their male children to become farmers and when they got married, their wedding gifts usually comprised of farm land, equipment or livestock. Daughters were given cash, household goods and farm animals. There were very few incidents of arranged marriage and children were allowed to choose their partners from their own group of acquaintances. Parents, though, could refuse their child's choice.

The colonial town
Towns in colonial America were places of activity, peopled by various merchants, shopkeepers, blacksmiths, artisans, furniture makers and the like. All of them provided goods and services to farm families. English goods such as utensils and cloth were sold in the shops. West Indians provided products such as molasses and sugar.

Bartering goods was not unusual. As more and more goods entered and left the towns, taverns and stables were built and set up along roads. Products were first sent to towns like Salem, Boston, Newport, New Haven and Providence and then sent as exports to the West Indies. The goods were paid for by bills of exchange, an early version of credit slips or by gold coins or sugar.

Schools and education
Children went to school in colonial America, especially to Puritans, who encouraged children to read the Bible at an early age. Towns were also mandated to provide funding for primary school education, although most girls did not attend formal schools. Their education consisted mostly of at-home basic reading and writing.

Even with this system, almost 90% of the population in New England had reading and writing skills, including the women. Colleges were established by churches mainly to train ministers. Harvard College was founded in 1636 and Yale College later in 1701. Rhode Island and Dartmouth College were also established later on. During this period, only wealthy men (and a few women) went to school.

The diversity of the cultures and the variety of beliefs helped shape colonial America. Its rich background is due mainly to the influx of people from different places other than England, such as Germany, the Netherlands, France, Scotland and Ireland. This colorful cultural background has contributed greatly into the progress of the America that we know today.