Created By: Megan S. Bella Z. Matt H. and Peter C.

Little education was beyond the New England Colonies. Neighbors sometimes gathered together and pooled their money to hire a teacher for their children. Wealthy people hired tutors for younger children. Older children were sent to boarding school in distant cities or England.

Religion slowed education in the Middle Colonies. Religious groups or families decided how to educate their children. Mostly among Quakers, Catholics, Jews, Baptists and others were problems. Some parents homeschooled their children. Some people created church schools. Puritans wanted their children to be educated only so they could read God’s word.

Only New England towns were required to have schools Massachusetts passed a law in 1647 for towns with 50 families to hire an instructor so kids could read and write. One hundred families or more had to build a school. The rest of New England passed similar laws

Schools were one room with a chimney and fireplace in the center of the room. There were no maps or a board. Pencils and paper were not available. Students would yell out spelling words. Student would write sums in ink on bark. There was only one book which was the New England Primer. The New England Primer taught the alphabet, syllables, and prayer.

1.What was the book that the colonists used to teach their children? 2.Where did older children go to school? 3.How many families per town were required to build a school in Massachusetts? 4.What did Southern Colonists pool their money for? 5.Who wanted their children to be educated only so they could read God’s word? 6.What did children write with and on in school? Why?

1.The New England Primer 2.Boarding school or England families 4.Instructor/teacher 5.Puritans 6.Ink and bark, because paper was not available

Most people married in early to mid 20’s. Indentured servants could not marry until free. Because men outnumbered women, women were almost assured marriage proposal. Married women and mothers had a harder job than their servants.

Nearly half of all the children died before adulthood. Middle and Southern Colonies had a high death rate because of malaria. Adults died young. After death a widow/widower would remarry quickly. Women gave birth often, but most kids died. Households often contained stepchildren and orphans.

Today the average family has two or three children. Back in colonial times families were much larger. Families in colonial times would have ten, twelve or even more children. For example Benjamin Franklin had seventeen brothers and sisters.

Today most people think of a family as their parents, and siblings Back in colonial times your family was your parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and great grandparents.

Families have changed over the years and with them so have children. Children in colonial times were expected to work hard and be very productive. They often helped their parents with long days in the field or hard chores around the house. This is the main reason families had so many children.

Back in the colonial times many people came with everything they had to start a new life. When they came many people built and lived on small farms. There were very few cities and towns so people had to live off the land and make their own lives.

Back in colonial times families were very close. They relied on each other for daily chores and survival. Children worked very hard to help their parents. Parents worked very hard to put food on the table and make a living.

1.What was the average amount of kids in a family in colonial times? 2.What is one reason why parents had so many children? 3.What caused a high death rate in the middle and southern colonies? 4.True or False? Women couldn’t be assured marriage proposal. 5. Could indentured servants marry freely? 6. How many children died before adulthood?

children or more 2. To help with chores or around the farm 3. Malaria 4. False. Women were outnumbered, usually assuring proposal. 5. Indentured servants could not marry until free. 6. about half