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Colonial Life in Cyberspace: Exploring the
Web for Quality Sites
One
of the most frequently asked questions interpreters hear in the Colonial Williamsburg
Historic Area is, "What was it like to live back then?" It is a great
question that Colonial Williamsburg staff enjoy answering not only by talking
about it, but also by using hands-on techniques. Classroom teachers can successfully
employ the same hands-on techniques if they have the requisite materials available.
Many teachers however, do not have a stock of colonial objects and games as
part of their classroom inventory. Often, the textbook does not provide the
kind of depth and breadth of information that teachers, and students, are looking
for. So what's a learner to do? Why, look to the Internet of course!
There are many Web sites claiming to offer great information on colonial life, but not all sites are created equal or have the kind of credentials you would prefer. The following is an annotated list of some quality Web sites that are useful for students and teachers. Explore them all, but do not miss the last site on the list!
LIBERTY! The American Revolution
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/
LIBERTY! Is the story of the American Revolution-two and a half decades of debate
and rebellion, war and peace. It begins with the aftermath of the French and
Indian War and ends with the creation of the U.S. Constitution. One section,
titled "Perspectives
on Liberty," includes an interactive painting exploring daily life
in colonial America.
Amusements in Colonial New England
http://noahwebsterhouse.org/
Part of the Noah Webster House Museum of West Hartford History Web site. Though
this site devotes a lot of text to the museum and its programs (which it should),
it also has some good history information about Connecticut life in the 1770s
and amusements in colonial New England. The focus is on games that farm children
likely played and includes a nice list of such games, many of which are still
played today.
Children's Activities
http://www.history.org/Almanack/people/bios/geddychi.cfm
At the James Geddy House in Colonial Williamsburg, youth interpreters frequently
re-create different aspects of colonial children's lives, including education,
music, dance, play, and daily chores. This site gives some basic information
on a child's life in colonial Virginia and includes some good primary source
images.
A Colonial Family and Community
http://www.hfmgv.org/education/smartfun/colonial/intro/index.html
Part of the "The Henry Ford" (Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village)
Web site. Be a history detective. Go back in time and investigate the daily
lives of the Daggetts, a colonial family from northeastern Connecticut. Collect
clues to uncover answers to seven questions about colonial life in the 1700s.
Then, prove your skills as a history detective by discovering "What's wrong
with this picture?" This site is nicely done with interactive elements
including QuickTime movies and sounds.
The Colonial Gazette: Servitude & Apprenticeship
http://www.mayflowerfamilies.com/enquirer/servitude.htm
Though many families entered Massachusetts Bay colony in servitude, another
important source of servants was the practice of families "putting out"
one or more children. For example, Samuel Eddy, the son of an English minister
and university graduate, did not seem to prosper in Plymouth. He and his wife,
"by reason of many wants lying on them," were forced to put out several
children as servants. This extensive site is devoted to the Pilgrims and contains
a lot of interesting information about various aspects of colonial life, pilgrim
style.
Colonial Family Life
http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/family/famhdr2.cfm
This Colonial Williamsburg site contains good background information for educators
as well as many other links to daily life information sources. The focus is
on the definition of "family" and how that definition changes over
time.
Living History: Diary of a Colonial Housewife
http://www.newsday.com/extras/lihistory/3/hs331a.htm
The hardships suffered by a Long Island mother compel her to write, "Dear
Lord, deliver me." So begins the account of a woman writing about her life
in 1769 New York. This is one of the few surviving colonial-period diaries written
by a woman. Each diary entry is followed by an explanation and extension of
the context of her writing. NOTE: Some of the original text will be difficult
for some students to read, but the effort to do so will be rewarded with a rare
insight into one colonial farming family's life.
Life During the 18th Century: Colonial Williamsburg
http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/life.cfm
Colonial life can be explored from many perspectives on this Colonial Williamsburg
site, chock full of historical information on the lives of eighteenth-century
Williamsburg residents. The site is divided into the following categories: African-American
Experience, Animals, Christmas, Clothing, Family, Food, Gardening, Manners,
Politics, Religion, Tools, and Trades.
American Life: A Comparison of Colonial Life to Today's Life
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1990/5/90.05.04.x.html
Phyllis S. Grenet's study of colonial life begins with the following statement:
"The American family and family life itself has changed considerably since
the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts. My unit has been designed for
grade one when families and family life are studied." This unit, which
greatly expands the content most young children receive from typical classroom
textbooks, emphasizes hands-on, minds-on techniques and includes the following
topics: Narrative, Plymouth, Plantation And The Pilgrims, Education, The Concluding
Unit, Vocabulary Words For Colonial America Lesson Plans, Children's Bibliography,
Teacher's Bibliography and Additional Teacher Resources.
Life in Colonial America
http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~rmscott/coloniallife.html
Dr. Renay M. Scott, associate professor of teacher education at Central Michigan
University, has developed a complete unit of study for seventh and eighth graders
entitled "The Coming Storm: A Simulation on the American Revolution."
The overall plan states that: "This unit is a problem-based simulation
utilizing the story plot as a framework for exploring life in the colonies during
the American Revolution using Internet based WebQuests Students begin the unit
by creating a character and the setting in order to set the context to explore
the colonial life in "role." This extensive site includes standards
of learning and everything else a teacher needs to successfully present the
unit to students. Especially valuable is the comprehensive list of links to
other quality sites around the Web.
This article was written by Dale Van Eck, Associate Producer Education Technology,
Department of Education Outreach, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
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