Farm families tended to live in small, one room, musky homes with little privacy where often the entire family slept in the same room. The men worked the fields and the women chopped firewood, tended the fires, gathered eggs, milked cows, and prepared meals over the open fires of the hearths.
What was life like in early Massachusetts Colony?
Massachusetts Bay Colony was a man’s world. Women did not participate in town meetings and were excluded from decision making in the church. Puritan ministers furthered male supremacy in their writings and sermons. They preached that the soul had two parts, the immortal masculine half, and the mortal feminine half.
What was life like in Massachusetts in the 1700s?
Two colonies were established in Massachusetts, Plymouth Colony and the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and these early colonists faced many hardships including disease, famine, brutal winters, hot and humid summers, warfare with local Native-American tribes as well as with other countries that were also trying to colonize
What did people do in Colonial Massachusetts?
The self-governing, self-reliant colony was first governed by John Winthrop and organized under principles laid out by John Cotton. The colonists made their living through farming, fishing, and trade. Learn more about Puritanism.
What did the colony of Massachusetts do for fun?
Throwing balls, a ring-toss game and foot races that could cover many miles were among the common pursuits. Slide Groat. Slide groat was another of the colonial New England games that people had to play on the sly.
How did the Massachusetts Colony make money?
The early colonial economy of Massachusetts was primarily based on agriculture. The constant flow of English immigrants enabled the first Massachusetts farmers to profit for approximately one decade by growing corn and raising cattle.
What was daily life like for Puritans?
The Puritans were an industrious people, and virtually everything within the house was made by hand – including clothes. The men and boys took charge of farming, fixing things around the house, and caring for livestock. The women made soap, cooked, gardened, and took care of the house.
How did colonists keep warm?
In addition to keeping active, people wore thick layers of woolen clothing and often slept in them along with flannel night shirts and caps on the coldest nights. Most people, including the wealthy, went to bed in unheated bed chambers.
What was the religion like in Massachusetts Colony?
The settlement they started in America was called the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Puritans were a group of Protestant Christians with strict religious beliefs. They disagreed with some practices of England’s official church, the Church of England. The English government mistreated them because of their beliefs.
What was the climate in the Massachusetts Colony?
The climate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was similar to the rest of the New England area. The colony had long winters that were cold and had freezing temperatures. The summers were shorter than the cold winters and were generally mild.
What type of jobs did the Massachusetts Colony have?
Some settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony were subsistence farmers, eeking out a living from the less than fertile land. Others became successful fishermen, ship builders, or merchants.
Why did colonists settle in Massachusetts?
Like many of the early American colonies, the Massachusetts Bay Colony, founded in 1630, has its roots in the search for religious freedom. The Puritans of England came to Massachusetts in hopes of living free from persecution for their religious beliefs.
What was Massachusetts like in the 1800s?
Massachusetts in the 19th century was marked by economic growth and political change as well as by warfare. Many wars waged during this century and although these wars did not take place in Massachusetts, they indirectly affected the state and its residents.
What crops were grown in Massachusetts Colony?
AMONGST IT.” Native corn became the most important grain for English colonists although they also planted European crops of wheat, rye, barley and oats. Native Americans boiled dried corn, berries and nuts, until it thickened into a porridge called Nasaump.
Which colony was the most successful?
Jamestown, founded in 1607, was the first successful permanent English settlement in what would become the United States. The settlement existed for nearly 100 years as the capital of the Virginia colony, but it was abandoned after the capital moved to Williamsburg in 1699.
What did Puritans do for fun?
To be fair, the Puritans did have some fun. They allowed hunting, fishing and archery, and they held athletic contests (never on Sunday though). They drank beer, wine and liquor, but not to excess.
What are 5 facts about Puritans?
Interesting Facts about Puritans
- The Puritans believed in education and founded Harvard in 1636.
- Women played an important role in Puritan life.
- One of the worst events in Puritan history was the Salem witch trials where 20 people were executed for witchcraft.
- Puritan worship services were very long.
What did Puritan clothing look like?
Puritan dress
Puritans advocated a conservative form of fashionable attire, characterized by sadd colors and modest cuts. Gowns with low necklines were filled in with high-necked smocks and wide collars. Married women covered their hair with a linen cap, over which they might wear a tall black hat.
How did Pioneers survive winter?
They usually consisted of a wood-framed tin box with a wire handle on it. Heated rocks were also placed inside the foot warmer. It was then placed beside the feet, under a blanket and often left there until the rocks cooled. The most common use for foot warmers was as a heater in the family wagon when going places.
How did colonists survive winter?
Most built log homes like those they would’ve had in their home country, and used moss or clay between the logs as insulation. The main source of heat was a fireplace or stove. If they had them, the families may hang fur or textiles against the walls as an added layer against the cold and wind.
How did colonists stay cool?
They may have not had air conditioning but early Americans could call upon a variety of intuitive methods – keeping hydrated, wearing light clothing, and making lifestyle changes – to keep cool during the hot summer months.