Life in the 1760s through the 1850s, was very different than life now. The pioneers had to make everything that they used by hand. Today you can buy things from stores, which is a lot easier than making everything. The children had to do way more chores than some children have to do today. The cabins were very small. Now, most houses are a lot bigger, and contain more than one room. When the pioneers were moving or traveling, they did not get to bring much. Today, you can bring more stuff on vacations, and when you are moving.
Children:
Pioneer Children probably did not have the best childhood. The children had to walk many miles to get to school, and they were punished very easily. A few of the things that they were punished for were being late for class, getting the wrong answer, or falling asleep during a lesson. The punishment, was that they either had
This is what most pioneer children had to write on, sice most pioneers did not have a lot of money.
to write many sentences, or they had to sit in a corner.
Back then, many people did not have a lot of money. Most of the children had to write on slates with chalk, since paper was very expensive. Only a few of the students got to write with paper and inc. Children were forced to be right handed, even if they preferred to use their left hand.
When the children were not in school, they had to help their parents on their farm. They would also go out with their fishing poles to help their mother prepare dinner. Even if they had to work a lot, they still found time to play. Some of the things that they would do to on their free time, is they would play on their father’s hay wagon.
Every Sunday, the children’s parents would teach them prayers.The pioneers were christians. They would not do much on Sunday, but worship god. They could not do any fun things, or go out with friends on Sunday, because of their religion.
Housing/ Cabins:
Back then, cabins were very small and only contained one room, that were 16 feet wide, and 20 feet long. The pioneers used about 80 trees just to make one cabin. They would cut the trees into long logs. They did not need any medal nails, and spikes to stick them together, it was very easy for them to stick together on their own. There was not much light inside the cabins when it was night time, because lights were not invented, so they had to burn candles to make light, and even with it, it is still dark.
This cabin was used as a house during the 1840s, and are used as barns and sheds today.
Many pioneers did not have a bed. They would roll up in buffalo skin, and sleep on the floor. Some of the Cabins had lofts, that is where the children would sleep.
The advantages of having a stove compared to a fireplace are that if you had a stove the fire would be inside of the stove, so no younger children would get hurt. If you had a fireplace, sometimes the women’s dresses would catch on fire. Also, sometimes the women, or whoever is making the food, would accidently drop the food into the fireplace, and it would burn.
When the pioneers had some free time, them and their neighbors would get together, and build barns. When they would finish, they would celebrate, by having dance parties.
Items they Made/ What they Wore:
The pioneers made almost everything that they used. The Women sewed all of the clothes that they and their family would wear. They did not have to make much clothes, because the pioneers only had two pairs of clothes to wear there whole life. They would wear one while the other one was being washed. When the clothes would get wore out, they would get rid of them, and make new ones.
Other things that the pioneers made, are carved utensils. Some of the utensils that they carved were spoons, ladles, bowls, and platters. Every growing settlement had a blacksmith, a cabinet maker, and other craft workers.
Most gentlemen would wear a shirt and pants that were made out of deerskin, or wool, or any kind of animal skin that they killed. The Ladies wore long dresses, that covered their shoes. On top of the dress was a apron. The ladies also wore hats that match their outfit.
Traveling:
When the pioneers were traveling, they could only take stuff that they needed. If a child wanted to bring there special doll, or toy, they could not. They could only bring what could help them live.The pioneers would pack all of there stuff onto horses, cows, wagons, carts,boats, or whatever vehicle they were traveling on. The pioneers moved west to have better life for themselves, and for their children. Most of the pioneers walked, but some of them got to ride, like a mom and a infant, or an elderly women got to ride.
The teachers lived with her/his students whenever the moved or were traveling.When they were traveling, or at anytime, they had to hunt for food. Other stuff that they ate were, corn and meat. When they got to the place that they were headed for, a general store would open. You could trade stuff, and buy stuff there. If you lived far away from the general store, you would go to a salesman, where you could get news. The more people living there, the more houses, buildings, and stores the pioneers had to build.
Conclusion:
The pioneers probably did not get to have a ot if free time. It was way different back then, and we should be grateful for all of the stuff that we have now. Some of the examples are big houses, children get to do less chores, we do not have to make everything that we use, and when we are traveling, we can bring more of our beloved items. Back then, none of this was the same.
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