Living in Colonial America
Overview: Imagine you are living in the first half of the 18th century America (BEFORE the Revolutionary War and, therefore, prior to American independence) and are taking a trip to another colony. You can take one of the following identities:
• Merchant from Massachusetts
• Quaker preacher from Pennsylvania
• Freed slave living in New Jersey
• Plantation owner from South Carolina
• Native American from Georgia
Writing in the first person, describe your occupation, where you live and the reasons for your journey. Discuss the colony you come from and the colony you are traveling to including descriiptions of local customs, government and religion of the majority in that area.
So where should you begin? Start by looking up facts about the era and location you will be writing about in the online textbook. Then, go Wikipedia. Check out general information about your character as well as the time period during which he or she lived. You can also check out other websites to get additional information.
Finally, visit the library at PCCC and do general searches in the library catalogue on the time period and your friend/relative/associate. Ask a librarian for help!
There is a lot of room for creativity, so use your imagination along with the research you do!
