Life in Colonial America

Education
Many of the Puritans of New England taught their children to read and write at home, but many New England towns also had schools. Reading the Bible was very important. In 1647, Massachusetts passed a law that required any town with 50 or more had to build a school to teach reading and writing. Harvard University was the first college in the American Colonies.
Agriculture
Agriculture in Colonial America included cod fishing, whaling, raising livestock, and farming crops such as: indigo, rice, sugarcane,tobacco, wheat, corn, and cotton.
Dress
In the New England Colonies, the pilgrims wore garments that followed the styles and general fashions of the English court. In the winter, they wore shawls and boots. They also wore wigs. The women wore underpants, stockings, petticoats, chemises, bolsters, bodices, skirts, aprons, outergowns, and shoes. In the Middle Colonies, the men wore shirts, trousers, and hats. They wore plain clothing when farming and working. The women wore plain dresses, bonnets, and shoes. In the Southern colonies, they wore clothes that were worn by the European upper class, including wigs. The women dressed very fancy. The children wore the same clothing as the men and women.
Children
The girls in Colonial America would weave cloth for clothing, preserver fruit and vegetables, cook food, make soap and candles, and help with planting and harvesting crops. The boys would cut and haul firewood for the family fireplace, care for livestock, and gather wild berries and vegetables. They would also hunt the woods for wild game. They would help the family plow fields and plant crops. They would also build and repair houses and shops.
Interesting Facts - Georgia
Georgia was the 13th colony, the last colony to be founded, and was founded by General James Oglethorpe in 1732. The major industry was agriculture that included indigo, rice, and sugarcane. The colony of Georgia was named after King George II. The major city of Georgia was Savannah. Savannah was a planned city that was laid out in town squares that would serve both as marketplaces but also as a way to defend the city. Georgia was founded as a buffer colony to defend the American Colonies from possible attack from Spanish Florida. Georgia became a state on Jan 2, 1788.

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