Colonial Willamsburg

1. Colonial Willamsburg Life, Government, and Culture Mac Bailey

2. Laws in Colonial times • Women/Man in their 20s had to marry. • Their family mostly chose their husband/wives. • For women it was illegal to divorce. • Slaves had to work for their freedom. • “Every Virginia minister was required to read the "Articles, Lawes and Orders" to his congregation every Sunday, and, among other things, parishioners were reminded that failure to attend church twice each day was punishable in the first instance by the loss of a day's food. A second offense was punishable by a whipping and a third by six months of rowing in the colony's galleys.” (history.org)

3. Punishment • “Burglary was punished in all the colonies by branding with a capital B in the right hand for the first offense, in the left hand for the second, "and if either be committed on the Lord's Daye his Brand shall bee sett on his Forehead as a mark of infamy." In Maryland, every county was ordered to have branding irons, with the lettering specifically prescribed: SL stood for seditious libel and could be burned on either cheek. M stood for manslaughter, T for thief, R for rogue or vagabond, F for forgery.”

4. Government • In colonial Williamsburg, only white men that owned land and belonged to the Anglican church could vote. • Women, African-Americans, Native-Americans could not vote, even if they owned land.

5. More government • Williamsburg, in colonial times, was the place where the leaders of government met to make decisions. • Both the Royal Governor and Colonial lawmakers that worked in Williamsburg, formed a group called The Assembly. • The Assembly created and voted on bills. • When they voted in favor of a bill, they sent it to the Royal Governor, and if it was approved and signed by him, it became a law.

6. Culture • Children had to be polite at all times. For example: • You must respect your parents and all adults, and do not speak to your own parents unless you are acknowledged first • You may not hum or drum with your fingers or feet • You may not scare your friends

7. More culture • There were 110 rules for culture that George Washington wrote called “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation: A Book of Etiquette” • Girls could only attend a Girls-Only school called a Dame School, run by a women in her home, to learn prayers, alphabet through knitting and sewing • Boys usually went to school, but if they were in the country, and their parents had money, they could be tutored

8. More Culture • Women could only work at home: doing things like cooking, cleaning, sewing, and washing • As a result, most girls could not go to school, but instead stayed home and learned how to cook, sew, and other skills from their mothers and older sisters • Education included strict lessons in civility (or manners) • Very few African-American children received an education

9. More culture • Williamsburg had two very small schools for non-white children: one was for African-Americans and one for Native-Americans – and both prepared boys to become preachers in the Angelic church • Adults drank ale, and even children drank a substitute liquor that had no alcohol in it, because lakes were dirty and they used them for bathing • People in colonial times played dice and games like “The Royal and Most Pleasant Game of the Goose”, and early game now known as “Duck, Duck, Goose”