The blacksmith

What was a Blacksmith?  A blacksmith was a colonial tradesman who made tools and weapons. They made these with metal. Anything that required metal to make, the blacksmith was the one to make it. They made things such as gates, hardware, and other metal items. They made these things by heating up metal and pounding it into shape.

Skills Needed For The Trade  Being a blacksmith was not an easy job. You have to be very skilled to be a good blacksmith. Some skills needed to be blacksmith are precision, measuring skills, and a knowledge of tools and materials. You have to be very precise because you must be able to make tools that are sturdy. You have to have good measuring skills so you can make correct size pieces so the tool can be made correctly. A blacksmith must also have a good knowledge of tools to make good tools out of the correct materials.

Tools For The Trade  Forge- a furnace for heating or melting metal  Anvil- a heavy iron block the blacksmith uses to hammer metal on  Hammer- a tool used to pound metal into shape  Tongs- a large tool used to grab hot metal items  Fuller- a tool for pounding grooves into iron  Mandrel- a round horn-like tool used to shape iron

Importance To the Community  The blacksmith was important to the colonial people because they made tools essential for everyday life. Most tools that colonial villagers use came from the blacksmith. The blacksmith was possibly the most important colonial trade there was.

 The blacksmiths were interdependent on the costumers for money. Without the consumers, the blacksmiths would not make a profit. They would not be able to make a living without the money. The costumers relied on a blacksmith for tools. Interdependence

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