History for
Young Adults
American Colonial
History for High School and College Students
MEET THE PLAYERS . . .
Objectives:
To encourage participants to use primary source material (inventories,
wills, indentures, paintings, maps, etc ) to determine the lifestyles,
occupations, and customs of 18th century Marylanders.
Students will also learn by handling authentic reproduction artifacts
that mimic items belonging to the above Maryland colonists.
Students are encouraged to record all of their information using quill
pens and inkpots. As part of
a house tour, students will identify objects that would be included in the
gentry as well as the common household.
Part
I: Introduction: Students begin their tour in the
gallery-classroom. Here the group leader begins a brief discussion about
teaching and learning history. Our guide encourages discussions about
historical sources as a means of catching a glimpse of the past. Guides
read excerpts from a colonial diary and/or colonial newspaper to get students
thinking about the use of "primary source documents."
Part II: The House Tour: Once in the house, our expert guides outline the history of the site and discuss some general aspects of 18th century life in colonial Annapolis. The guide then explains to the group that they are going to be responsible for remembering certain things in the house. The guide spends time talking about specific objects, objects that will be necessary to remember during the third session of the tour. The tour focuses on “How we know what we know” about history. Students become house detectives, making determinations about how each room was used and the backgrounds of the owners based on architectural embellishments, furnishings, etc… Guides initiate discussion about the lifestyles and leisure activities of the gentry vs. the lower classes. Authentic reproductions are used during this part of the house tour to allow students to examine objects they might not otherwise get a chance to study. This part of the tour is about 40-45 minutes.
Part
III: The Research Session: After completing the house tour, students
return to our gallery-classroom. Here, each group of 6-8 students will
receive a basket full of unidentified objects,
an inventory of estate, miscellaneous maps, and other 18th century pieces of
"evidence." Students will then read, examine, and study all of
these documents. After digesting the clues, participants must answer
questions about the person whose life has been unearthed in front of them.
Was the person rich, a man or woman, black or white? What was their
occupation? Could they read, etc. . . ? The final element to this
challenging session is the identification of the objects in the baskets.
All of the objects are found on the colonial inventories and were seen in the
house. Students attempt to match real objects with the ones discussed on
these 18th century documents.
Objects
and Documents Used in Part III:
Wooden
Plane “3 Chests Carpenters
Tools”
Image of Warming Pan “One Warming Pan”
2 Pot Hook “Two Iron Pot Racks and Hooks”
6 Napkins “Ditto”
Piece of Pine “A Parcel of Old Lumber”
MD 2 Dollar Bill, 1774 “Cash in
the House”
Small Sheets of Bundled Paper “A Parcel of Drawing Paper”
Ware’s Designs (Ditto)
Large Stoneware Jar and Block of Soap “1 Large Jar & a Qty of Soap”
Wooden Mortar & Pestle “1 Spice Mortar & Pestell”
Gold Picture Frame “1 Small Picture Frame [third] finished”
1 Brick “3500 Bricks”
Drawing of House and Plan “2 Lotts of Ground with Improvements”
Tricorn Hat “Wearing Apparel”
Men’s Shirt “Wearing Apparel”
Image of Drafting Case in Study “A Case of Mathematical Instruments”
1 Sheet of Ornamental Blue Geometric Ceiling Wallpaper “2 Ornamented Ceilings
of Paper”
2 Rosehead Nails in Linen pouch “180 lbs 4d Nails”
3 Pieces of wood “A Parcel of Old
Lumber”
Inventory, 1774
CWP Painting ca. 1774-1787
Annapolis City Maps detailed Lots
William Buckland’s Indenture, 1755
Swatch of Green Moire
“1 Set Green Damask”
Blue and White Linens “1 Set Cotton Blue Figured Bed Curtains”
47 2 Dollar Bills “In Ready Money”
Family Bible “1 Large Family Bible”
Va. Map “Map of the State of Virginia”
2 Large Brass Candlesticks “1 Pair Large Brass Candlesticks”
Mortar and Pestle “ 1 Pestle & Morter”
Sugar Cone “A Tin Sugar Box & 6 loaf Sugar”
Picture of Bellows “A Pair Bellows”
Lacquered Box , Wooden Counters, and Cards
“Box & Counters with Cards”
Tin Candle Mold, “10 Pewter Candle Molds”
1 Bar Soap “4 lbs Soap”
Blue and White Chamber
Pot “2 Blue & White and 1 White Chamber Pott”
1 Shift “Night Gown”
Miniature Windsor Bowback Chair “One Windsor Arm Chair
White, stained bag with drawstring “Cotton Bag”
Image of Card Table in Game Room “One Card Table”
Inventory of Estate,
1784
Map of the State of Virginia, 18th century
Cost:
$3.00 for Students, $5.50 for Adults, Teachers are Free
Time: Program available Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
Year Round
Total Time: Programs lasts approximately 1 1/2 hour
To Make a Reservation or for Questions: Contact Jeanne Langdon at 410-263-4683 ext. 12
Parking and Directions: See our Visiting
the Site Page
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