If you lived in 1776: making inferences & comparisons.

As the struggle for American independence began, ordinary life went on in the 13 Colonies (soon to be independent states). What was life like for kids living here in 17767

The following excerpts are from a book called Going to School in 1776, by John J. Loeper. Read them and study the comparisons chart. Then answer the questions on the opposite page.

If you were to journey back over the highways of history to the year 1776, you would find that most people lived on farms or in small villages. Even cities like Philadelphia, New York, and Boston were small. Back then, people had no electricity, no indoor plumbing, and no automobiles. Rooms were heated with wood fires and lit by candles. Travel was mainly by horseback over narrow dirt roads.

Rumblings of War

Many American colonists talked of "liberty," "independence," and "revolt." They were weary of Britain's rule, and their spirit was that of statesman Patrick Henry, who said, "Give me liberty or give me death!" In England, King George and his Parliament responded with more troops and more taxation.

The first battles of the American Revolution took place in Massachusetts in April 1775. By 1776, British troops had occupied the city of Boston, and a new American army was drilling under the command of General George Washington.

By the end of June that year, the Second Continental Congress had passed a Declaration of Independence telling Britain why "these United Colonies are and ought to be free and independent states."

The Britain-America dispute ripped the colonists apart. Many people wanted to remain loyal to their King. Many others wanted freedom at any cost. The King would not give up the Colonies without bloodshed.

As battles began to rage, daily life went on. Houses were built, fields were plowed, and children went to school (when they could].

Dame School

It is dark when Johnathan's mother calls him, and he is forced to leave the warmth of his bed. Downstairs, pleasant noises come from the kitchen as his mother prepares breakfast. There will be johnnycake (cornbread), mush, and fresh milk. It is the start of another day.

Johnathan lives in the Colony of New Hampshire, settled only three years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth.

When Johnathan finishes dressing, he hurries down to the kitchen. The wood in the fireplace crackles, and the delicious aroma of cooking fills the small kitchen. Johnnycake sits on a clean wooden board before the fire. A kettle of mush bubbles and hisses.

Johnathan has three younger sisters. His sister Elizabeth dresses the little ones in a corner of the room.

When his father comes in from the barn, the family gathers around a plank table. After a blessing, they eat and talk of the day's assignments.

Elizabeth will work at the spinning wheel while Johnathan will carve new rake handles with his knife. Then both of them will walk to Mistress Robbins's house for their daily lessons. The younger children will remain at home.

In 1775, many New England towns closed their schools for the duration of the war. Johnathan and his sister attend a "dame school" for the time being. These are schools run at home by older women in the community.

Mistress Robbins has only rough slabs for seats. The younger pupils are taught how to read and sound out alphabet letters. Older ones memorize passages from the Old Testament. Everyone, including the boys, learns how to sew and knit.

On a Plantation

On a warm spring day, three little girls sit in the music room of their plantation home in North Carolina. One is playing the harpsichord, (a keyboard instrument like a small piano). Another is playing the harp, while the third plays a flute.

When they finish with their music, the girls ascend a wide staircase to an upstairs room, which serves as a schoolroom.

The girls' father is a wealthy planter. He has many black slaves to plant and harvest his crops. (The most successful) Southern families live like lords, keeping packs of hunting dogs and stables of horses. Within their huge brick homes are grand staircases, marble mantels, and carved mahogany paneling.

In the schoolroom, children from neighboring plantations join the girls. Several planters in the area got together and hired a teacher for their children. The girls are taught reading, writing, and fine stitching. The boys are taught reading, writing, and bookkeeping. Their lessons last only an hour.

There are few teachers in the Southern Colonies, so these children are fortunate to have a classroom. Many Southern children have only "field schools" to attend. Those are informal, infrequent lessons taught in the open fields by some interested adult. Black children are not allowed to attend school.

End of a Journey

As you leave the homes and schools of 1776 and return to the present day, you sweep past more than two centuries of American history. Not only has the nation changed since its beginning, but so has the manner in which Americans live. What are some of those changes?

Adapted from Going to School in 1776 by John J. Loeper (Atheneum, New York, 1973). The names of the children are fictitious, but the events are based on actual historical records.

QUESTIONS

1. Why didn't New England children of 1776 attend regular public schools?

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2. Where were dame-school classes held?

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3. What were boys and girls taught at plantation schools?

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4. What were field schools?

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5. In what important document did Americans claim that the Colonies of Britain were now independent states?

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6. Today's U.S. land area is about how many times as large as that of 1776: 5, 10, 15, or 20?

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7. Why did the Continental Colors include Britain's flag?

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8. What do you think the 13 stripes on the Continental Colors represented?

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9. What do you think Old Glory's 13 stripes represent?

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10. When and where did the American Revolution's first battles take place?

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ANSWERS

1. Many schools were closed during the war.

2. in the homes of older women of the community

3. girls: fine stitching; boys: bookkeeping; both: reading and writing

4. informal classes occasionally held in Southern fields

5. the Declaration of Independence

6. about 10 times

7. the Colonies were still officially part of Britain

8. the 13 British Colonies

9. the 13 original states

10. April 1775, in Massachusetts

Word to Know

* Parliament: an assembly of representatives of a nation or people, having authority to make laws.

The United States, 1776 and 2006

                      IN 1776                     IN 2006

Number of
states                13 (1)                        50

Population           2,500,000                  299,100,000

Land area             354,902                    3,717,796
                square miles (est.)            square miles

             known as: the               known as: the Stars
             Continental Colors          and Stripes or Old Glory

             appearance: red, white,     appearance: 50 white
Flag         and blue British Union      stars on a blue back-
             Flag in upper left          ground in upper left
             corner; 13 alternating      corner; 13 alternating
             red and white stripes (2)   red and white stripes (2)

(1) They were British Colonies until the July 1776 Declaration of
Independence.

(2) The Continental Colors was used by General Washington, but the
flag wasn't official. In June 1777, Congress established an official
flag with 13 red and white stripes, and 13 white stars on a blue
background at the top inner corner.

KNOWLEDGE BOWL

Playing this Knowledge Bowl game is a fun and easy way for students to review key facts and ideas from Junior Scholastic this year. This game (the first of six this school year) covers our most recent issues: September 4, September 18, and October 2.

* Quizmaster: Reads each question.

* Players: Two, three, or four teams of similar size.

* Scorekeeper.

PLAYING RULES

* Players select a category and question number. If they answer correctly, they earn points for their team (see chart at right). If they answer incorrectly, the next team tries the same question (unless it is a True or False item).

* Teams should take turns, in order, answering the questions. Players also take turns within their teams.

* The game lasts until all the questions have been answered.

HOW TO SCORE

In each category, award the following
points for each correct answer:

Question #1            S Points
Question #2            10 Points
Question #3            15 Points
Question #4            20 Points
Question #5            25 Points
Question #6            30 Points

QUESTIONS

WORLD

1. True or False? In Mexico's recent election, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador lost to Vicente Fox. (false; to Felipe Calderon)

2. Which Middle East country's nuclear-technology plans worry U.S. officials? (Iran)

3. What is Iran's capital? (Tehran)

4. Last summer, war broke out between Israel and a militant group based in which country? (Lebanon)

5. How did Mexicans supporting the losing presidential candidate protest the election result? (staged protests and put up thousands of tents on Mexico City's central square)

6. Which extremist Palestinian group attacked an army post in southern Israel last June? (Hamas)

NEWS SPECIAL

1. True or False? Louisiana was the only state damaged by Hurricane Katrina. (false; Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida also suffered losses)

2. Which party currently controls the U.S. Congress? (Republican)

3. What established the separation of federal power? (Constitution)

4. Which Katrina-damaged city lies mostly below sea level? (New Orleans)

5. The National Security Agency is part of which branch of government? (executive)

6. How many Senate seats are being voted on in the 2006 midterm election? (33)

HISTORY

1. True or False ? Pocahontas married a settler named John Rolfe. (true)

2. Who established the first known written code of laws? (Hammurabi)

3. What was a Tory? (an American colonist remaining loyal to Britain)

4. What was the name of Pocahontas's father? (Powhatan)

5. What region is called "the cradle of civilization"? (Mesopotamia)

6. Sybil Ludington lived in which present-day state? (New York)

USA

1. True or False? President Bush opposes legal status for most undocumented workers. (false; he favors a guest worker program)

2. What is procrastination? (intentionally putting off doing something)

3. What is "chunking"? (breaking big tasks into manageable pieces)

4. What desert do many people cross to get into the U.S.? (Sonoran)

5. Name the onetime insecure teen who became quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. (Matt Leinart)

6. Which House Republican from Wisconsin is co-sponsor of a bill dealing with illegal immigration? (James Sensenbrenner)

GEOSKILLS/GEOGRAPHY

1. True or False? The Mediterranean Sea forms most of Israel's western border. (true)

2. All longitude lines meet where? (at the North and South poles)

3. Hammurabi's empire lay mostly in which modern-day country? (Iraq)

4. Which two Arab countries have signed peace treaties with Israel? (Egypt and Jordan)

5. The prime meridian is an imaginary line passing through which city? (Greenwich, England)

6. What is the Palestinian area bordered by Israel, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea? (Gaza Strip)

GRAB BAG

1. True or False? The minimum U.S. voting age is 18. (true)

2. What was the topic of a recent JS story featuring Mel Gibson, Lindsey Lohan, and Britney Spears? (stars behaving badly)

3. Pluto was recently "demoted" to what? (dwarf planet)

4. Ben Cook of Orem, Utah, has what claim to fame? (world's fastest text massager)

5. Demographers predict that the 300-millionth American will arrive when? (October 2006)

6. What is the only kind of toy that has been around longer than the yo-yo? (the doll)