Best references(s) for Colonial America daily life?

Status
Not open for further replies.

tourdeforce

Banned
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
2,000
Reaction score
557
References / resources providing insiht into what it was like living in America 1770 - 1776 for the average citizen as opposed to he major players o the Revolution.

Any recommendations?
 

Puma

Retired and loving it!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 21, 2006
Messages
7,340
Reaction score
1,540
Location
Central Ohio
You might try Thomas Paine who was aide de camp to (this may be wrong because my memory is finking on me) General Nathaniel Greene. He was actually writing Common Sense sitting at campfires during the Revolution.

There are a large number of accounts of phases of the revolution - try Goggling the Wyoming Massacre (in quotes) as an example of some of the hardships and atrocities. There's also an excellent genealogy site - Tri Counties in Pennsylvania run by Joyce Tice that has a lot of non genealogy information on it. Pennsylvania also has some pretty good county history information.

As far as one work to look at, I don't have any suggestions at the moment. Puma
 

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 10, 2005
Messages
6,432
Reaction score
1,343
Location
Silicon Valley
Some towns on the east coast are historical reenactments of colonial life. Williamsburg comes to mind. Maybe something like that could help you?

Here's a link:

http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/

I haven't explored the site, but it seems to have a virtual tour of the town.
 

robeiae

Touch and go
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Messages
46,262
Reaction score
9,913
Location
on the Seven Bridges Road
Website
thepondsofhappenstance.com
TheIT said:
Some towns on the east coast are historical reenactments of colonial life. Williamsburg comes to mind. Maybe something like that could help you?

Here's a link:

http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/
There's a short movie shown in the Williamsburg Visitors Center. It's pretty good. It gives a good visual view of daily life. Maybe it's online. It stars Jack Lord, from Hawaii Five-O.

As to written stuff, find a book like this one. Then, check its sources.
 

pdr

Banned
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
4,259
Reaction score
832
Location
Home - but for how long?
You could try this.

Sighs and shakes head in wonder.

We do have a very good set of resources stickied to this board, and David Thomson (sp! Sorry, David)) posted a long list of exactly what you're looking for!

Happy researching and Merry Christmas everyone.
I'm going bush for three weeks, with my family in NZ. No mod cons especially electricity so no e-mnail. Just sea, shore, bush and my southern stars! Bliss!
 

robeiae

Touch and go
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Messages
46,262
Reaction score
9,913
Location
on the Seven Bridges Road
Website
thepondsofhappenstance.com
pdr said:
I'm going bush for three weeks, with my family in NZ. No mod cons especially electricity so no e-mnail. Just sea, shore, bush and my southern stars! Bliss!
My NZ wine just came today. I ordered it when I went to NZ a few months back. Very tasty! Enjoy your family time!
 

BrianTubbs

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 8, 2006
Messages
310
Reaction score
17
Location
Wilmington, Ohio
Thanks Puma

Puma said:
- try Goggling the Wyoming Massacre (in quotes) as an example of some of the hardships and atrocities.

Interesting information. And I found someone involved with my last name (Lt. Lebbeus Tubbs). I wonder if he's an ancestor of mine.

Anyway, I didn't know anything about this incident. Very interesting.
 

Marlys

Resist. Love. Go outside.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
3,584
Reaction score
981
Location
midwest
Women's Life and Work in the Southern Colonies, by Julia Cherry Spruill. Wonderful book.
 

blackpen

Bizzare in Berkeley
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
177
Reaction score
10
Location
california
if you get the "american girls" books on the felicity character (it's children's fiction) they have very nice historical notes at the end of the actual story. felicity is a character in 1776 and the very last chapter of each book in the series provides some great everyday life details and pictures.
 

Stew21

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 2, 2006
Messages
27,651
Reaction score
9,137
Location
lost in headspace
I had a history class in college that focused on the years in America up to 1860's. I had some great texts and extra reading material. It didn't just focus on historical events, but also daily life kinds of things. I'll have to go to the basement to find them and their titles (after all, college was a long time ago), and I'll come back with some titles for you to check out.
 

alleycat

Still around
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Messages
72,919
Reaction score
12,275
Location
Tennessee
Colonial Living and other books by Edwin Tunis are pretty good. They're well illustrated.

If you're interested in some of the more rustic aspect of life back then, Backwoodsman Magazine publishes a few "best of" issues which have articles on how to do all sorts of things; everything from making your own gunpowder, chipping flints, making fishing lures, building a cabin, etc.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.