The Colonial Era

The Colonial Era is noted to be in America, from 1499 to 1763.  As colonies were formed in North America, people migrated from many different countries.  Most familiar is the landing of the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock where the Puritans began their new lives.  The Colonial Era spans over 150 years.  Styles within this era grew and changed with different immigrants and prosperity.

Having often come due to religious persecution, Religion was of great importance to this era.

Most colonists lived on a farm. A lot of hard work had to be done on farms, and children had to help out as much as they could. Even very young children had to help with some chores around the farm. Usually, adults left the simplest and most boring chores for the children to do. Children did many jobs like carrying wood, husking corn, gathering berries, leading oxen, carding wool, gathering eggs, and churning butter. When children weren't doing chores, their parents sent them to school.

When chores were done, children played games like tag, hide and seek, marbles, and hopscotch.  Since many families had five or six children, brothers and sisters always had playmates nearby.  Fathers fixed tools, mothers spun and if the children did not have to card wool or churn butter, they played board games or did tongue twisters.

There were no doctors then, but barbers were considered surgeons.  Midwives delivered babies.  Herbs, flowers, and animal products were learned from the Native Americans and were used to treat illnesses.  Life expectancy was under twenty five.

Clothing 

In general, clothing was made of wools and linens.  Colors were of wide range but took on significance.  Black however was a color of responsibility.  Children and servants often wore blue.  Russet was worn by the countrymen.  Other clothing was made from animal skins such as deer, moose, or elk.

Pilgrim men wore felt hats, ruffle collars, large cuffs, many buttons, balloon breeches, garter belts and stockings.  Their shoes had buckles and heels. 

1600 Women wore heavily embroidered material.  Dresses were long with ruffles or large lace collars.

Men took on the pirate look with balloon pants, tights, tie shoes, plume hats.  Clothing was stitched by hand.  Long coat type jackets were worn with knee highs, pants to just below the knee where there was tie.

Original Houses

Houses were often originally, one or two room log cabins which had a grey burnt log look.  Later there were the wooden framed houses- simple and square.   Sometimes the homes were brick faced.

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Kitchen area

The dwellings were rustic with fire pits and hooks in them to hang the large pots.  Surrounding the fire pit were more hung utensils, supplies, and herbs.  There were built in cabinets.  Copper was used for pots and utensils.

Here, women did their cooking, children played and read by the light of the fireplace, residents kept warm on cold fall and winter days and family members often slept in front of the hot embers.

Dining Room

 Dining rooms would come into fashion later in the colonial era when homes were large enough to accommodate a separate dining area.  Fireplaces were always present for heat.  Sideboards were were used to set out food.  Chandeliers were in fashion.  Heavy brocaded drapes with many pleats covered the windows.  Often valences were present.

Floors were often wood

Rugs: Oriental throw rugs were found on the floors of many rooms.

Furniture was made of rustic wood or heavy woods. The very plain furniture of the puritan era consisted of plain wooden tables with spindled chairs.

Bathrooms

Colonial era folks bathed only a few times a year.  They didn’t brush their teeth, therefore, there were no bathrooms or running water.  There were chamber pots or outdoor privies.