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 Philadelphia, New York may refer to:
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 King George has referred to many kings throughout history. When used, by Americans, without further reference it most often means George III of the United Kingdom, against whom the Whigs of the American Revolution rebelled. and his Parliament responded with more troops and more taxation. The first battles of the American Revolution American Revolution, 1775–83, struggle by which the Thirteen Colonies on the Atlantic seaboard of North America won independence from Great Britain and became the United States. It is also called the American War of Independence. 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 A dame school was an early form of a private elementary school in English-speaking countries. They were usually taught by women and were often located in the home of the teacher. 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 (MultiUser Shared Hallucination) See MUD. 1. (games) MUSH - Multi-User Shared Hallucination. 2. (messaging) MUSH - Mail Users' Shell. , and fresh milk. It is the start of another day. Johnathan lives in the Colony of New Hampshire New Hampshire, one of the New England states of the NE United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts (S), Vermont, with the Connecticut R. forming the boundary (W), the Canadian province of Quebec (NW), and Maine and a short strip of the Atlantic Ocean (E). , 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 crackles a small, sharp sound heard on auscultation. Caused by dry, bristly hair and insufficient pressure on the stethoscope head. Also characteristic of emphysema, especially when it is subcutaneous. , 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 young children. See also: Little 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 spinning wheel Early machine for turning textile fibre into thread or yarn, which was then woven into cloth on a loom. The spinning wheel was probably invented in India, though its origins are unclear. It reached Europe via the Middle East in the Middle Ages. 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 Main article: New England town. See that article for further explanation. This is called a List of New England Towns, but also includes municipalities incorporated as cities or organized as plantations with those types indicated as such. 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 North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. . One is playing the harpsichord harpsichord, stringed musical instrument played from a keyboard. Its strings, two or more to a note, are plucked by quills or jacks. The harpsichord originated in the 14th cent. and by the 16th cent. Venice was the center of its manufacture. , (a keyboard instrument Noun 1. keyboard instrument - a musical instrument that is played by means of a keyboard accordion, piano accordion, squeeze box - a portable box-shaped free-reed instrument; the reeds are made to vibrate by air from the bellows controlled by the player 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 The Southern Colonies of British North America were Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, and Virginia, where the first permanent settlement among them was at Jamestown. The hope of gold, resources, and virgin lands drew English colonists to 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 ath·e·nae·um also ath·e·ne·um n. 1. An institution, such as a literary club or scientific academy, for the promotion of learning. 2. A place, such as a library, where printed materials are available for reading. , New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , 1973). The names of the children are fictitious, but the events are based on actual historical records. QUESTIONS 1. Why didn't New England New England, name applied to the region comprising six states of the NE United States—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The region is thought to have been so named by Capt. children of 1776 attend regular public schools? -- 2. Where were dame-school classes held? -- 3. What were boys and girls boys and girls mercurialisannua. taught at plantation schools? -- 4. What were field schools? -- 5. In what important document did Americans claim that the Colonies of Britain were now independent states? -- 6. Today's U.S. land area is about how many times as large as that of 1776: 5, 10, 15, or 20? -- 7. Why did the Continental Colors include Britain's flag? -- 8. What do you think the 13 stripes on the Continental Colors represented? -- 9. What do you think Old Glory's 13 stripes represent? -- 10. When and where did the American Revolution's first battles take place? -- 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 score·keep·er n. An official who records the score throughout a game or competition. score  keep .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 Felipe Calderon is the name of:
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
The Militant Group was an early British Trotskyist group, formed in 1935 by Denzil Dean Harber, former leader of the Marxist Group, as an entrist 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  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. . (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 New Orleans (ôr`lēənz –lənz, ôrlēnz`), city (2006 pop. 187,525), coextensive with Orleans parish, SE La., between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, 107 mi (172 km) by water from the river mouth; founded ) 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 This article is about the Virginia colonist. For other uses, see John Rolfe. John Rolfe (c. 1585 – 1622) was one of the early English settlers of North America. . (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 This article is about society beginnings. For the beginning of humanity before writing, see History of the world. For other uses, see Cradle of Humankind (disambiguation). "? (Mesopotamia) 6. Sybil Ludington Sybil Ludington (1761–1839) was the daughter of Colonel Henry Ludington, the commander of the local militia near Fredericksburgh Precinct, New York (later renamed Ludingtonville, and now part of the town of Kent) during the American Revolution. 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 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 North and South Poles figurative ends of the earth. [Geography: Misc.] See : Remoteness ) 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) |
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