Table of Contents
What did the children do in Colonial times?
Even with all the work they did, colonial children still found time to have fun. They cared for their pets, played with dolls, shot marbles, pitched pennies, and went fishing. They also played tag, stickball, and blindman’s buff. By the time they had reached age 14, most children were already considered adults.
What was life like in America in the 1700s?
At first, life was hard and rough in the North American colonies. However, by the early 18th century people in the American colonies lived in houses as comfortable as those in Europe. Wealthy people had finely carved furniture, wallpaper, china, silver, and crystal and chairs were common.
How old did children have to be to work in the cotton mills?
Children younger than nine were not allowed to work, those aged 9–16 could work 16 hours per day per Cotton Mills Act. In 1856, the law permitted child labour past age 9, for 60 hours per week, night or day. In 1901, the permissible child labour age was raised to 12.
How old did boys have to be to go to school in colonial times?
Boys that didn’t go to school usually went into apprenticeships around the age of 14, but there were some that went as early as six-years-old. Many of the colonies had laws that required parents to check their children’s religious knowledge once a week.
What did children do in early colonial times?
Most children in early colonial times never saw the inside of a schoolhouse. Instead, colonial children usually learned about the adult world by doing things the way their parents did. But, just because they didn’t go to school, their lives were not easy.
Where did children work in the United States?
In many towns, mills and glass factories regularly employed girls and boys. 49 Young children worked in the fields performing farm labor and on the coasts in the seafood industry. Even youngsters who never left the house had employment options.