Trudgeon1

Dylan Trudgeon
Brenton
Early American History
6 October 2016
People of the colonies
What was it like for Colonists that traveled to America? Colonist had small houses,
farms, and made everything from scratch. They did not have the conveniences of today. They
made their own clothes, tools, building, and anything else they needed. People of colonial times
had mostly rough lives; children, women and men worked very hard.
First of all, the children of colonial times were expected to help out their families all the
time. When children were born they were put in straight cradles so they could not curl up. They
also were put in stiff dresses at that age to straighten out their limbs so could learn to walk they
were not allowed to crawl. At the ages one and two kids wore pudding caps which were hats
made to protect kids heads from getting hurt. They were called pudding caps because they
believed that too many head injuries would turn their heads to pudding. Most kids died during
this age because of the harsh conditions During, ages three through six both genders wore long
gowns because they said, If you're not a Man youre a girl. (The Life of a Child). So the
men would have to teach their sons how to be men. The boys would slowly start to where more
Manly things starting first with shoes. The girls at that age would help their moms. When it
can dinner time children were to be seen not herd, they would not sit at the table. From seven to
twelve kids were treated more like apprentices and learned from who would teach them about
what they're good at mostly their parents taught them. All in all children had rough lives. That is
what it was like for children in colonial times.

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Life was also hard for the women of the colonies were household slaves the only
difference was they did more work and taught children. What it meant to Be a Women Women
mostly did household chores such as cleaning, making food, and teaching children. They were
also used for moral support. Mothers were often the primary spiritual instructors in the home,
especially in the latter part of the Seventeenth Century (Gender Roles in Colonial America).
That is what it was like for women in colonial times.
The men on the other hand were treated with respect the only bad thing they could not do
is hurt or steal from another man. What it meant to Be a Man in Colonial society is to have
social power. The men were the the most smart because the were the only one with a eucation.
Most of the men's jobs were to run in the government because there the only ones allowed to.
There were also only ones to own a lot of things, including land and slaves. That is what it was
like for men in colonial time.
In conclusion, that is what it was like for children, women, and me during the 1700s.
Men had it better than most other people whom were treated like slaves. Many women tried to
get good lives, but mostly failed. That is what it was like for people in colonial time for children,
women, and men.

Sources

"Childhood in Colonial America." Childhood in Colonial America. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.