Colonial Times
How did colonists live?
Goal:
Goal:
What was life like for American colonists over 300 years ago? How was it different from our lives? Learn about the way of life for children during this time in history.
Clothing
The clothes early colonists wore reflected their religious beliefs. Clothes were simple and plain. This reflected their belief in simplicity. Heavy fabrics used to make clothing were wool, linen, and leather. Men usually wore long-sleeved shirts and breeches (short pants) with long socks. 
By Serge Melki from Indianapolis, USA (Colonial Man Williamsburg) [CC BY 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons Women wore long gowns or skirts and coats. They also wore aprons. 
By Serge Melki from Indianapolis, USA (Colonial Woman Williamsburg) [CC BY 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons Food
By Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA (Colonial WilliamsburgUploaded by AlbertHerring) [CC BY-SA 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons Colonial food consisted of meats, fruits, and vegetables. The middle and southern colonies were able to grow more crops due to warmer climates. Popular crops were wheat, rice, corn, squash, pumpkins, and beans. Apples were also planted as soon as settlers arrived in America. Since most colonies had access to water, fish was plentiful and a main staple in most meals. Animals, such as turkeys, geese, sheep, pigs, and cattle, were also used for food. Colonists had their meals at certain times each day.
School
Colonial schools were usually small, one-room buildings with one teacher for all the children in the community. Students sat on benches, and there were no desks. They didn't use pens or pencils to write with either. They used lumps of coal or feathers and wrote on tree bark. If students misbehaved in school, they would get whipped and be forced to wear a cone-shaped hat called a dunce cap to embarrass them. Children usually only went to school until they learned how to read. Homes
Log cabins were the first type of home built by the colonists. These homes were made from timber and were easy and quick to build so that people had shelter. 
Townhouses were built by colonists in the northern colonies. 
Farmhouses were built by colonists in the middle colonies. 
Plantation mansions were built by colonists in the southern colonies. 
The more money a person had, the larger their house was. Jobs
People in colonial times usually worked in a trade. A trade is a skilled job. Below is a list of common trades from colonial times.
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