Research for 18 th Century Reenactors

1. Research for 18th Century Reenactors How to find, apply, and document information

2. Introduction:Why does research matter? We love history We bring the past to life We educate the public Goal: To become an 18th century version of ourselves!

3. Before you bring it into camp ask: Did it exist? Who used it? What did it look like? Is it right for me?

4. Handout 1: Research Materials http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/guides/spmaterials North Carolina State Universities, Library, Research Guides, Scholarly vs. Popular Materials

5. Different Sources for Different Reasons • Tertiary • These documents distill, or synthesize, primary and secondary sources. • Secondary • These are generally documents that were written after the fact. They are not evidence, but rather a commentary or discussion on the evidence. • Primary • These are original documents, written in the 18th century, that have not been filtered due to interpretation or evaluation. These can be used as evidence.

6. The CRAAP Test(Handout 2) Retrieved from http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf California State University, Meriam Library Currency: Was the book/painting/letter written in the 18th century? Was it written during or after the war? Relevance: Was the book published in America? England? France? Authority: Who is the author? Is this a primary source? Is this written by a historian? What are the author’s sources? Accuracy: Is this a primary source? Purpose: Is the painting stylistic?

7. Searching GoogleHow to construct searches in search engines and databases • Constructing searches • Search #1 • What did women wear in the 18th century? • Issues • 1) Google doesn’t recognize special characters such as ? • 2) Google will now search each individual word. • Why this works • Google understands popular results • Populates the first page with what it thinks the user wants. (People rarely go past the first page) • Search #2 • Women clothing 18th century • Issues • 1) Google still searches individual words • Why this works • This search takes out the non-important words such as “did”, “what”, “in”, and “the” • Search #3 • “Women’s Clothing” “18th Century” • Issues • This search may not bring up some popular sites that Search #1 would retrieve • Why this works • This search will look for two phrases found on the same webpage. “women’s clothing” and “18th Century” Bad Better Best

8. How to know how to construct a search? • Google help • https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/136861 (Search Operators) • https://support.google.com/websearch/?hl=en#topic=3378866 (Search Help) • Database help • Useful constructs for databases • Boolean – AND, NOT, OR • Truncation • Wom* - Woman, Women • “” – search for an entire phrase (similar to AND)

9. Los Angeles County Museum of Art • http://collections.lacma.org • Lewis Walpole Library Digital Collection. • http://images.library.yale.edu/walpoleweb/default.asp • Metropolitan Museum of Art • http://www.metmuseum.org/ • National Gallery of Art • http://www.nga.gov/collection/index.shtm • National Gallery of the United Kingdom. • http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/explore-the-paintings/browse-by-century/*/Module%5B495%5D%5BchooseSecond%5D/1700/ • National Portrait Gallery • http://www.npg.org.uk/collections.php • Sphinx Fine Art • http://www.sphinxfineart.com/ • Victoria and Albert Museum • (http://www.vam.ac.uk/ • Web Gallery of Art • http://www.wga.hu/index.html • Williamsburg eMuseum • http://emuseum.history.org/ • Yale Center for British Art • http://britishart.yale.edu/ Resources Museum Resources

10. Colonial Williamsburg.(2013). Virginia Gazette. • http://research.history.org/DigitalLibrary/VirginiaGazette/VGbyYear.cfm • This is a website with full copies of the Virginia Gazette from 1736 to 1780. • Founders Online. • http://founders.archives.gov/ • A National Archives site providing documents from early America, including diaries and letters. • Library of Congress. American Memory • http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html • Contains historical documents of varying kinds. The George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress: 1741-1799 (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome.html) are particularly worth looking through. • Threads of Feeling • www.threadsoffeeling.com/ • This website is an online exhibition of the Threads of Feeling exhibit curated by John Styles. Here you will find just over fifty pictures of cloth from London’s Foundling Hospital billet books. Resources Cont. Authoritative Resources

11. Amazon • http://www.amazon.com/ • Often carries reprints of 18th century books. Also is a good source for out of print books that are being resold by owners. • eBay • http://www.ebay.com/ • A good source for hard to find, out of print, or used books. Requires a PayPal account. Google Books. (http://books.google.com/). A good place to find a selection of free and low cost eBooks. • Internet Archive • https://archive.org/ • A free internet library of eBooks, audio recordings, and other media types. While not all inclusive, there is a decent selection of 18th century related materials including primary documents. • Kings Arms Press • http://www.kingspress.com/ • Specializes in fine reprints of 18th century books and pamphlets. They carry mostly military books but they do carry some civilian books and pamphlets as well. • MET Publications • http://www.metmuseum.org/metpublications • MET Publications is a database of art based books provided by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Many of these books are available as free downloads. • Revolutionary Imprints • http://revolutionaryimprints.com/ • This is a good source of Revolutionary War primary sources of various kinds. These sources are on purchasable CDs. • University of Wisconsin Digital Collection. Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture • http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/DLDecArts/Browse.html • Includes various books about decorative and material culture from the 17th century through the 19th century. Resources Cont. Book Resources

12. Handout 3 and 4 Chapter III Research Tips Chapter VII Resources Full book can be requested from the Distaff Coordinator

13. Why Document? • Documentation required by • Battle Road • http://www.18cnewenglandlife.org/ • The Challenge • http://www.thehiveonline.org/challenge.htm • Allows the reenactor to • To do/have unusual things • Discussion point with public • Makes you believable

14. ActivityDocumenting a Bonnet (sorry men!) • The “19th Century” Black silk bonnet • It looks all wrong • About 10 years ago this was “definitely from the 19th century” • A few years ago it experienced a dramatic increase of use in RevWar reenacting • Straw hats are boring • I wanted one • Can I wear it as a campfollower in the 1770s?

15. Let’s try Google Databases: Search terms: Runaway servant advertisements Online museums Black silk Bonnet 18th Century

16. Let’s try Google 915,000 Results!! 65,500 Results Black silk bonnet “black silk bonnet” + “18th century” “Black silk bonnet” Maybe this website will help. + is Google’s version of AND Wrong century (19thC)

17. Did it exist? • Chosen Resource: • Geography of Slavery • http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/gos/index.html • Why this source: • Primary resources (printed runaway advertisements) • Vivid descriptions of the lower class (perfect for camp followers) • Search Terms: • Bonnet • Black Silk

18. Geography of Slavery bonnet  http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/gos/

19. Results Virginia Gazette (Purdie),Williamsburg, August 15, 1777. RUN away from the subscriber in Stafford county, the 16th of July, an English servant woman named Margaret Miller (alias Graves) 36 years old, about 5 feet 6 inches high, has black hair and eyes, a number of small black freckles in her face, a remarkable good set of teeth, very large hands and arms, a good skin (though much sun burnt) pitted a little with the smallpox, has a pleasant countenance, is a likely woman, and but spare made. She took with her a cotton shift without wristbands, a jacket and petticoat filled in with black yarn, a striped cotton gown with ruffled cuffs, a black silk bonnet, good linen aprons and caps, two pair of thread and worsted hose, flat heeled shoes, cotton gloves, and a good deal of money. Whoever brings her to me shall have 10 dollars reward. MOSES PHILLIPS.

20. What did it look like? • Chosen Resource: • Colonial Williamsburg • http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/gos/index.html • Why this source: • Extant examples • Likely to find a photograph • Search Terms: • Bonnet

21. Colonial Williamsburg eMuseum Search for bonnet

22. Results Colonial Williamsburg Online Museum Collection Acc. No. 1993-335 Black Silk 1770-1780 You’re going to want to write this number down

23. What did it look like? • Chosen Resource: • The Lewis Walpole Library • http://images.library.yale.edu/walpoleweb/default.asp • Why this source: • Primary resources (original prints) • Vivid descriptions of the lower class (perfect for camp followers) • Search Terms: • The LWL is difficult to search. It is better to use a very broad search term and browse through numerous results. For this tutorial we will search for the image number directly.

24. Results The Lewis Walpole Library Very hard to search lwlpr04177

25. Who used it? Continuing research shows trends Searches of runaway ads from Geography of Slavery show several slaves and servants who owned bonnets. Artists renderings also show that bonnets were worn by lower classes as much, if not more, than upper classes. The majority seem to be black silk, although occasionally other colors and materials were documented.

26. Is it right for me?Coming to a conclusion Lower class garment Can be documented to 1777

27. Documenting • Needs to answer two questions: • Where did you find the information? • What does someone else need to know to find the picture/quote/etc? • Geography of Slavery • http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/gos/index.html • Virginia Gazette (Purdie), Williamsburg, August 15, 1777. • Colonial Williamsburg eMuseum • http://emuseum.history.org/ • Bonnet Acc. No. 1993-335 • Lewis Walpole Library • http://images.library.yale.edu/walpoleweb/ • Image number lwlpr04177

28. Black Silk Bonnet • Geography of Slavery • http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/gos/index.html • Virginia Gazette (Purdie), Williamsburg, August 15, 1777. • Colonial Williamsburg eMuseum • http://emuseum.history.org/ • Bonnet Acc. No. 1993-335 • Lewis Walpole Library • http://images.library.yale.edu/walpoleweb/ • Image number lwlpr04177 Doesn’t have to be fancy. 1 page with a list of websites is enough. This is small enough to fit in a pocket or knapsack.

29. You try! I want a sailor jacket. Don’t forget to document! • Did it exist? • Who used it? • What did it look like? • Is it right for me?

30. Any Questions?Go forth and conquer!