Significance

During the colonial period, people were self-reliant, meaning they had to make almost everything. Most families lived on farms, on which they grew food or raised animals for their families to eat and every member of the family, except babies and toddlers, had to contribute. Children often had to work almost as hard as adults, which meant that they did not have much time for play. The type of chores that children had to perform depended on their background. Children from city families often had to perform different tasks than youngsters from farm families, such as working in their families' stores.

Boys' Chores

Boys often had to perform similar tasks as their fathers or other men in their families because they were training to work in the same jobs when they were older. Boys living in rural areas helped by performing tasks such as hunting, harvesting crops, fishing, milking cows, gathering up eggs or feeding animals, as soon as they were old enough. In cities, boys regularly had to do work such as taking goods to markets to sell, building furniture, repairing household items, or working with their fathers in blacksmith or miller shops or in doctor's offices.

Girls' Chores

Although girls sometimes performed similar tasks as boys, such as feeding animals, they often had indoor chores. Girls had daily chores that helped prepare them to be caregivers and wives. In larger families, older girl children usually had to take care of their younger brothers and sisters. Girls of different ages performed tasks such as cleaning their houses, preparing food, making and sewing clothing, getting vegetables and fruit from their families' gardens, making candles or getting food ready for storage.

School

Part of children's daily routine was going to school. Boys often attended school longer than girls, and some boys were able to attend grammar schools or colleges where they learned advanced topics such as Latin. Girls usually learned basic skills, such as reading and writing. Religious instruction was often a major component of children's coursework. Outside of schools, many young men had apprenticeships, through which they learned trades.