1 / 9

Puritan Childhood in Colonial America

Puritan Childhood in Colonial America. Historical & Cultural Context. 17 th century settled Plymouth colony Diverse cultural & religious values defined immigrant population but . . . “We are well weaned from the delicate milke of our mother countrie” – puritan leader in America

Roberta
Download Presentation

Puritan Childhood in Colonial America

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Puritan Childhood in Colonial America

  2. Historical & Cultural Context • 17th century settled Plymouth colony • Diverse cultural & religious values defined immigrant population but . . . “We are well weaned from the delicate milke of our mother countrie” – puritan leader in America • And . . . created common culture

  3. Demographics • Ages at marriage (late teens, early 20’s) • Life expectancies (60-70 years) • High fertility rate (healthy) & low infant mortality rate (20-25%) • Characterized by large (& nuclear) families (7-9 children) • Naming reflected cultural & religious values

  4. Childrearing Practices • Childbirth & newborn care same as 17th century Europe • Home childbirth by midwives • Puritans valued breastfeeding (9 passages in bible favor it!) • Illegitimacy: great offense against god

  5. Childrearing: Transition at Age 7 • Influenced by notion of original sin • Ex: Isaac watts (1715) book for children “That I am led to see, I can do nothing well, and whither shall a sinner flee, to save himself from hell.” • Obedience to the will and authority of parents • Church threatened children with eternal damnation

  6. How Parents Regarded Their Children (17th Century) • Referred to developmental stages & child’s play • 7% of diarists mentioned child’s sinful nature (out of concern for child!) • Three childrearing modes: • Evangelical • Moderate • Genteel

  7. How Parents Regarded the Parental Role (17th century) • Same behavior could be result of different attitude • Protective function • Discipline • Advising • Training

  8. A day in the life of children . . . • Farm work for boys beginning at age 5 • Girls helped with spinning/sewing • Punished for laughing on the Sabbath day • Running, whistling, humming considered sinful any day • Parents developed “Sunday toys”

  9. Education • Dame schools: 1628, form of daycare • Public school: required by law (except RI) and free • Taxation of parents

More Related