Colonial Times
Most children your age have some idea of what they want to be when they grow up. In colonial times, a 10-year-old had to make decisions about what he would do for the rest of his life. If you were a 10-year-old living during those times, what do you think you would want to be when you grew up?
What are manners? What are some manners children are supposed to have today? What were colonial children’s manners supposed to be like? Do they surprise you, why? How do they compare to your manners today? Why do you think they differed?
How do we travel in the 21st century? When and why would we use these types of transportation? How do you think people in the 18th century traveled? How would their different from ours? How would it be similar? How long did traveling take in the 18th century? What would it be like to travel a long distance back then.
These questions are due on Monday, October 15th, 2007
October 11th, 2007 at 10:10 am
I am sorta scared to think about what I am going to be when I grow up because I don’t know how the world will be changed by then. Also I want to flow into what I do when I grow up and don’t want to be forced into being a lawyer or something like that because I don’t like being forced to do things:) STICK UP FOR WHAT YOU WANT !!!
October 11th, 2007 at 10:15 am
I don’t think I can decide what I am gonna be when I grow up because when I go to different places my ideas on what I want to be are constantly changing. Before I wanted to do something then when I go to like an art gallery or somewhere, I want to work there! It’s hard to decide what you want to be unless you do the job that you want to do for that time, then you quit that job and do that until you find that job you really like doing. You will probably have more that at least 2 jobs in your entire life time anyway.
October 11th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
In colonial times, I didn’t know how hard it was for them! Especially for kids! I MEAN THE KIDS HAVE TO START TAKING CLASSES when they are just 10. I would have a lot of pressure on myself! I wouldn’t know what to choose as my job when I’m just 10! Oh, how do they dress so quickly in those clothes! Oh and all those manners! Why did the DAD have to be in charge of the house? Oh, why no talking at the table at the dinner?! It’s like family! Oh, I think it’s unfair that you don’t get dinner sometimes!
October 11th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
ok…so i will do one question a day…. If I lived in the colonial times, I think that I would be a silversmith. I would be a silversmith because I like the thought of melting something and putting it back together to make something that will help people throughout years. The thought of making things makes me interested.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
I would like to be a wood person!
October 11th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
It would be tough for me in colonial times because children couldn’t sit when they were eating dinner. No way could I last one dinner w/out talking. And about the job, how could you choose your job at only ten years of age? You might have a whole different thought of what your job should be when you are older. I don’t think you could do a different job because you would have already been working w/ another job for a long time. I wonder if people had more than two jobs back in the colonial times.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
I would like to be the one who creates the guns for people because you need it to hunt, survive , sell, and trade. So you get a lot of money because it seems important for them to survive. You could hunt for your food , sell some food to others, buy or trade your meat with bread , and survive!
October 11th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
If I were growing up in those times I wouldn’t really know what I would be because I have no clue what it was like to be living in those times. Even though it would be hard I would have to say that I would love to either be a doctor or someone that made clothes for people. I want to be a doctor because there wasn’t a lot of them and I really want to be able to help people that are in need. I want to make clothes because I tried doing it for a little while in the museum the other day and it was really fun but also a lot of hard work. I would actually want to make clothes instead of being a doctor because by making clothes you can gain skill If you just mess up once then you mess up on the whole entire thing and that isn’t so good because then you have to start all the way from the beginning. I don’t really like to start all over, but making clothes still looks super fun.
What are Manners? Some of the manners that we have today are to say please, thank you, and you’re welcome when you are asking and receiving gifts or something. There was a big, big difference in our manners. In Colonial times their manners were more like strict rules. They really suprised me because back then you couldn’t talk to anybody when you were eating, no less sit down at the dinner table. Nowadays dinner time is a time that you spend with your family while you eat. Also on Sundays, I read that you couldn’t even make your bed in the morning, but now most people’s parents make this like a chore for their kids.
How do we travel in this century? In this century we use things like airplanes, cars, and ships to get around. In the Colonial days I read that the people in the 18th century had to walk everywhere or go by horse, but they didn’t have a phone so if they wanted to meet somebody, the person wouldn’t know if the person visiting him was coming. So by the time he got to his friend’s house he might be gone. I think this was really stressful for the person.
October 12th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
I don’t know what i want to be when I grow up because I am only 10! I have another 7 or 8 years until I have to make up my mind. Colonial people must have been really smart to make up their mind on what they want to be at our age.
October 12th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
If I were living at that time, women didn’t have many jobs to choose from. The only work that women did was cleaning up around the house and making supper for the family. But if the woman had more jobs to do, I would want to be a doctor just like Kellie. I want to be a doctor because I can help people when they are just about to die. I can restore lives and that makes me feel good.
October 12th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
The usual manners that we get told by our parents everyday is to say please, thank you, and you’re welcome. The colonial people had many, many rules and they were very strict. The rules that they had were more like everyday rules. I think that rules would be a better way to say than manners. The rules were like telling you what to do everyday of your whole life.
Some manners that children are supposed to have today is to say please and thank you if somebody gives you something. Some other rules that we have to follow today is like greeting people politely. The colonial manners also said that when you meet someone, take off your hat in the company of a person of distinction.
The manners that those children had to follow did not surprise me. I always thought that the children had very srict manners. One of the rules they had was when you meet someone of a greater quality than yourself, stop, and let him pass. I think that they are treated very strictly because they didn’t have as much technology as we have today.
The manners that they had have some comparisons to our manners. For example, one of the manners they had was if you cough, sneeze, or yawn, put a handkerchief or your hand over your mouth and turn to the side. That is what we are supposed to do but we are not always told it. We usually just do it.
I think that our manners are different because they have many rules to follow. We have a lot of rules to follow too, it’s just that they are harder to follow than our usual everyday rules.
October 12th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
If I were in colonial times then I would want to be a mail carrier so I could visit new places and not have to stay where I lived. Manners are ways to be polite like saying “please” and “thank you” but we are losing manners. The colonial people had about 40 manners. Now we can barely name ten manners and they had to memorize all of them them. I think that if it were up to me choosing to go somewhere in a car or a wagon it would depend on the location and if I had to get there fast.
October 12th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
In Colonial times things were very different compared to how we live today. Today we have cars, boats, planes, and the bus. Back then, they had their walking shoes and horses. Back then, it was normal for kids our age to hunt with rifles for their dinner. Back then it was normal for 11 year olds to go to college!
In the colonial days, if you didn’t behave in school you had to wear a dunce cap and sit in the dunce chair. If you didn’t behave at home, your father wouldn’t serve you dinner! There were many strict rules during the 18th century. Kids could be seen but not heard (SO UNFAIR!!!).
Pens, toasters, waffle-makers, and chalkboards. These were the 18th century version of technology. I-pods, computers, I-phones, machines. This is the technology of the 21st century.
What will the 24th century hold in store?
October 12th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
If I lived in the colonial times I would like to be a blacksmith because they work with metal and I like working with metal. Although I like working with metal I know it would be hard and frustrating. If I had decide what I wanted to be for my whole life I wouldn’t know what I would be because I have no experience doing it.
I think manners are respectful and sincere acts. In today’s world some manners that children are supposed to have is saying hello when someone says hello, pleases and thank you’s. I think colonial maners in colonial times were racist because women and children didn’t have the same rights as men like if a wife talked back to her husband she would have punishment. These manners suprised me at first because they seemed so cruel and unfair. I think colonial times and todays manners differ because there were no laws about human rights or all people being equal.
October 13th, 2007 at 10:23 am
I would die in those days! Why with all those weird rules you had to follow and you had to choose what you were to do for the rest of your life! But if anything I would be a blacksmith. I think that a blacksmith is one of the most important people in a town. He could make bullets for your gun, swords and all kinds of pots, pans, waffle makers so I think he was a very important man. Rules were weird and punishments were harsh. For example, if you were to tallk back to your husband you would be dunked in a lake. How crazy is it that only your dad could sit down at the table and he decides if you eat and you could not tallk at the table and no looking at each other and if you were not perfect you don’t eat. I am sure some kids must have starved from that. Man if I had to wallk everywhere I went, I would die. Whoever invented a carriage in those days must have been a millionaire with people kissing his feet. The people back then were much tougher than us and in much better shape because all the wallking they had to do and all that work that needed to be done.
October 14th, 2007 at 7:43 am
I think that I would want to be that wood person! I agree w/ carson I would die in those days!I think that the rules back then were good and weird @ the same time!
October 14th, 2007 at 9:43 am
I don’t think I would be able to know what I would do for the rest of my life but, I think that I would want to be a hatter. Manners is ways of being polite. Some manners children are suppose to have today are saying please and thank you, chewing with your mouth closed, and cover your mouth when you sneeze, cough, or burp. I think that colonial children’s manners are suppose to be strict to keep them polite and respectful. Yes they surprise me because there is nothing wrong with talking at the table or sitting with your feet crossed. I can’t believe that the colonial children couldn’t sing in front of others and today we are encouraged to sing and perform in front of others. I think that there manners were differed because they had a different paradigm. In the 21st century most people travel by cars and buses and planes. We would use buses and cars to go anywhere a short distance. We would use planes when we have to go long distances. I think that the people in the 18th century traveled on horses, wagons, sleds and boats.There transportation was different from ours because there way of getting somewhere was very rough and our way of getting somewhere is very easy and peaceful. In the 18th century traveling took one whole day or longer. Traveling a long distance back the was very rough and harsh.
October 14th, 2007 at 10:01 am
In the colonial times there are a lot of similar things about our life today and a lot of different things. It is kind of weird how everyone in the colonial times drank beer. I mean even children drank beer for breakfast. They must have been tired because they could not cruise in a car like us. Instead they rode horses, boats or they had to walk. If there were not enough horses for everyone to ride on, the person not riding a horse had to be the one walking. Like Jenna said I don’t think I would last in colonial times because the manners and rules that they had to follow are really difficult for me to follow.
October 14th, 2007 at 11:14 am
I agree with Kamalani, the women didn’t really have a lot of jobs. But, if they had the same jobs as the men did then I think that I would have liked to be a silversmith. I would be a silversmith because I like how the colonial people made their silverware. And I always wondered how they made the plates, forks, spoons etc. And I also like the thought of helping people by making something to help them to be healthier because they can put the food that they’re going to eat on something clean.
Manners are something that you do to try make yourself look well-behaved. Some manners that we still do today are saying “thank you” when someone does something nice for you, saying “your welcome” when someone says “thank you” to you. And, to say “please” when asking for something. Colonial manners were very strict. The colonial manners always made the parents seem more important and more worthy. It also made the children work hard for their parents. Yes, the colonial manners surprised me a lot. Like when you fell asleep, then you would get a rap on the head by the church watchman. I don’t think that I could’ve survived in colonial times! Their religon was very strong and I think that it was a little too strong.
If I had to compare the differences from the colonial manners to the modern day manners, the colonial manners would be sky-high compared to modern manners. I think that the manners got less severe because when more people got to America, they treated their children like they were of equal value of the parents.
In the 21st century, we travel with cars, buses, airplanes, and sometimes even with a boat (superferry). I think that we use these kinds of transportation because there are more people living in the world than ever so we need faster transportation.
October 14th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
If I lived in colonial times and I was a 10-year old I would want to be a silversmith because it would be fun to melt people’s money and make stuff out of them. Another reason why I would want to be a silversmith is because you could become very famous becuase of the things you make and your stuff will be seen and featured at museums like the famous silversmith Paul Revere.
I think manners are things you do to make you look very mature and polite. Some of the manners that we use today are say please and thank you, when you burp to say excuse me, chew food with your mouth closed, and do not talk when you have food in your mouth. I think that colonial children’s manners were very hard to follow because 1) there were so many rules and 2) they were very strict. It seemed that the parents were better than the children and I would very much dislike to live back in the colonial times. I am not very surprised because back in the colonial times you had to work much harder then now and everybody now just cruises through life!
The transportation that we use today in the 21st century is way better than back in colonial times because we have planes, cars, buses, and even trians. Back then, it took a super long time to travel just to another colony so I’m glad that people invented those things to help us transport things and people faster and more comfortably.
I think it would be very hard to travel back in colonial times because the ride would be uncomfortable and it would take a long time. It just would really suck to travel back then.
October 14th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
I think if our class were growing up in colonial times then our class would be WAY more disciplined!!!! I mean if you look @ some of their rules you can tell!!! I think that if we time traveled back to colonal times and we found out how they lived. We could live there for awhile and then come back to the 21st century then we would behave WAY BETTER!!!!
October 14th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
I think that Mr. Chung should disipline us like colonial times!!! I think that we have a better living in the 21st century!
October 14th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
In colonial times, I would have liked to be a blacksmith. Learning how to make horseshoes and iron nails would be interesting.
Manners are how people behave. Some manners children are suppose to have today are to say please, thank you, say excuse me, be considerate, share, take turns, keep your elbows off the table while eating, no cutting in line, and cover your mouth when you yawn, sneeze or cough.
Colonial children’s manners were very difficult and strict. It surprised me because their rules were so strict and seemed hard to follow. Our manners today are easy to follow. In colonial times, the children had to grow up fast and be young adults at an early age. I think it differed because in colonial times their manners were very strict and well organized. Our manners are more for pleasantries and to behave in a socially acceptable way.
In the 21st century, we travel by walking, bicycling, cars, boats, airplanes, trains, subways, and buses. We would use these types of transportation to get around town, travel to the different states or countries. People in the 18th century traveled by horses, horse and carriage and by walking. They differed because our transportation gets us to places faster. They are similar because at that time they thought they had the best form of transporation. Travelling int he 18th century sometimes took 2 days, 3 days or a week to get to their destination. They would risk their chances of getting to their destination safely.
October 14th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
If I lived in colonial times, I would decide on being a silversmitih. I think it is neat how they would take the townspeople’s money because they didn’t have banks back then and use their silver and turn it into cups, plates, and spoons.
Even though this isn’t one of the main big question, but I wonder how the towns people in colonial times would think about things we don’t even consider technology. For example, to us a pencil is just a silly thing we write with. Back then they had to use quills as a writing tool, so if someone from colonial times saw a pencil they probably would have thought of it as technology. I mean to us it is just something to write w/, but to them it’s like the coolest thing they had ever seen.
October 15th, 2007 at 5:49 am
I would want to be a guy that makes weapons because weapons were very important. People needed weapons to hunt with, so people that made weapons probably got a lot of money.
Manners are like rules that you obey. Some manners that you need to obey now are saying please and thank you, saying excuse me when you sneeze, and use kind words. The colonial manners are really weird because I think that people should be allowed to make noise and talk during dinner. I think they were different because in colonial times they were very serious.
In the 21st century we travel by cars. We would use cars because they are way faster and stronger. People in the 18th century traveled by horses. In the 18th century it took people about 1-5 hours to get from one place to another. For me I think it would be really tiring because you would have to be on a horse carriage for so long.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:32 am
I would want to be a candlemaker because it seems to help plenty of people, yet it seemed simple. It would also seem that it would be really cool how you put the wick in the the mold, then you would pour the wax in the mold and hang it up on the rack and wait till it dried.
Colonial manners were very strict. You couldn’t talk at the table, if you were a wife you couldn’t talk back to your husband. These rules (laws) all had punishments.
Now we have cars, planes, and trains. In the 18th century they had wagons pulled by the oxen or the horses. The difference is that ours is powered by gases but theirs was powered by horses. They are similar because they both were powered by something. It would take maybe a month to travel to a different colony.
October 15th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
I agree with Brandon that in the colonial times they had many strict rules to follow.
October 16th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
I think that I would want to be a mailman because you could ride your horse and get paid for it. But I think that it would probably get really old and irritating having to go back and forth and back and forth between houses. So actually I wouldn’t want to be a mailman, I might want to be a horse trainer or a blacksmith.
I think that as we get farther into the future we slowly or even quickly lose manners because we take more things for granted. I don’t know what is causing us to lose our manners but it’s happening. I think that the manners now that are regular for us would be shocking to those that lived in colonial times. I think it wouldn’t be that bad to live in colonial times and have all those weird manners because if we were born in that time we wouldn’t know any better. Things that are weird to us are only weird because we know better and we are not used to it. For example if we called writing floating, it would be weird, right? But if we were born calling it that and we had never called it writing it wouldn’t be weird but calling it writing would be weird.
October 17th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
To live in colonial times must be hard because you would need to work super hard and you will be doing things that aren’t for you and your age. Also another thing is that you might be going to college when you are only 11 yrs. old [boys only]. Colonial time lasted a long time so you must have been working more than you thought you would be, so I wouldn’t want to live in COLONIAL TIMES!!!!!!
October 19th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
If I lived in Colonial times I would be a school teacher. My class room would be at my house.
October 19th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
What will I be?
There weren’t very many jobs for girls or women. The only jobs you could do was to be a good mother and/or wife. I think that I only want to be a mother so as soon as I have kids I would divorce the father and take the kids. I could survive on my own because I would make friends with Indians and they would help me take care.
Manners kids!
The manners in colonial times were very weird. I think that they were very disciplined because they had to learn manners about things that didn’t even matter! Our manners today only cover big, important stuff unlike having to spit in the corner or the fire. Even if I had to be very disciplined I think it would be very cool to live in colonial times.
Transportation
I think that our system is much better than the transportation back then. They had to travel in icy rains or burning hot sun! That is one part I don’t like about that. They must have gotten really sunburned back then unless they had hats.
October 19th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
After reading this book I learned that the Pilgrams lived a real hard life. I think this because they didn’t have technology like we do now.
If I lived back then, I would probably be a blacksmith. The first reason is because all of the other jobs are boring. The second reason is because I like to build stuff and I like to use tools.
I think the Pilgrams were hard workers and were real religious. I think they were hard workers because if they didn’t work they would die. They needed food and water to survive. I think they are religious because every Sunday they wouldn’t do any work, not even make their bed, and all they did was go to church and eat.
October 19th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
If I lived in colonial times I would think there were 2 things I could be when I grew up: #1 A farmer and #2 A blacksmith.
#1 A farmer would work hard hours in the fields under the sun. It’s a really hot sun and you might get a bad back.
#2 If you get to work in a shop it is shaded. You also get to work with hot dangerous material that you can make into a lot of dangerous things.
If I lived in the 1800s I would be a blacksmith and take a chance getting a little injured instead of breaking my back and not being able to move around a lot.
I think manners are a set of rules that make you a nicer person. Some manners we have today are saying please and thank you. The colonial manners were stricter like not doing anything at the dinner table. I think they differed because they didn’t have technology to put out a lot of courses so they treasured everything and that’s why I think they had strict manners.
In this century we travel in airplanes and cars. We use these vehicles because we can travel longer and faster in these vehicles. We use the airplanes to travel vast distances, oceans, and states. And we use cars to travel in our state. I think the people in the 18th century traveled in horse-pulled carriages. Their things were different from ours because they used horses to pull and we use engines to pull us. I think the people measured in days and we measured in miles. Time VS. Distance. I think that it would be boring because you had to sit in a rough carriage and you got nothing to do.
October 25th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
If I lived in Colonial Times, I wouldn’t know what I would want to be. I would probably be a hat maker or something.
In Colonial times, you couldn’t talk at the dinner table. In fact, if you weren’t the dad, you wouldn’t even get a chair to sit on!!! The Colonial people had so many rules and manners, I wouldn’t be able to live in those days! I mean, it’s one thing not to put your elbows on the table when you eat, but not being able to talk is a whloe other thing! Your father would decide if you had been or not, and if you were good, you would get to eat.
October 26th, 2007 at 6:18 am
If I lived in the colonial times I would want to be a Blacksmith. A blacksmith is a person who makes shoes for horses and oxen. Thry also made nails, iron pots, tools and all kinds of iron stuff. Blacksmiths even took out the tooth of a person if someone had a toothace. Blacksmiths were really important because they were the ones that made the tools. In the colonial times tools were really important. One of the most valuable tools in the colonial times was the nails. The nails were so valuable, some people burned down their houses when they move just to get their =nails back. That is why I would want to be a Blacksmith if I were in the colonial times.