Living Conditions in New England Colonies
Housing
Housing in the New England Colonies is very different from now a days. Some matierals they used were sails, logs, branches, wood, and stone. Houses were very small, usually one story and in rows. In the inside of the house it had two rooms, a hall and parlor. It also had a brick fireplace. Its location depended on the place they lived, land on the coast or inland.
Activities
There were not many activities that adults in the the New England colonies would do. Men's duties included hunting, planting, and building. They mainly did the outdoor work. Women did the indoor duties such as, preparing food, sewing, and cleaning. Children had many activities they could do. They could play marbels, fly kites, bowl and many more. Children also went to school and did chores. Church was very important in the New England colonies.
There were not many activities that adults in the the New England colonies would do. Men's duties included hunting, planting, and building. They mainly did the outdoor work. Women did the indoor duties such as, preparing food, sewing, and cleaning. Children had many activities they could do. They could play marbels, fly kites, bowl and many more. Children also went to school and did chores. Church was very important in the New England colonies.
Clothing
Clothing was an essential part in the New England Colonies. The type of clothing represented your station of life. For example, wealthy women wore satin gowns. But for the middle class, it was different. Men in the middle class wore very simple clothing. A linen shirt and a doublet, like a jacket. They also wore breeches also known as pants, stocking and shoes, as you can see on the picture in the far right. Women on the other hand wore a shift (under shirt), corset, and a petticoat, like a long skirt. They also wore a waistcoat (fitted jacket), an apron, and coif (linen cap).
Food
There was many varieties of food in the New England colonies. I am just going to name a few types of food they ate. Seafood such as fish, oysters, crabs, lobsters, etc. was part of their food group. Meats like deer, rabbit, geese, duck, and chicken was the puritain's protein. The women grew many crops such as corn, rye, peas, squash, etc. Food was a very important part of their life.
Transportation
There wasn't that many ways to go from one place to another. The colonists usually walked or used horses as way of transportation. In the spring and fall, the colonists didn't travel much beacuse the roads were muddy. They probably did much of the traveling in the summer and winter.
Employment
There were many jobs in the New England colonies. The main jobs were probably farmering and fishing. Carpentry and shipbuilding was also a popular type of employment. Blacksmiths, as seen in the picture, used tools such as a forge, hammer, anvil, etc. Basketmakers, brickmakers, cabinetmaker, shomaker, silversmiths and many more were also jobs the colonists could have. Religous leaders were very important in the colonies because they colonists were faithful to the church. In the proprietary colonies, type of settlement, there was governmant officials.