| Lesson 10: Family Life in the
Federal Period
1 class period (85 minutes)
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| Key Content Ideas Taught in this Lesson and
Teacher Background |
Improved economy, interfacing with the world
beyond the Connecticut River Valley, expanded educational opportunities;
while republican ideals, spurred on by the Revolutionary War, contributed
to the broadening of refinement in Deerfield. Each of these events
resulted in significant changes in family life.
Teacher Background Essay: Women's Roles Begin to Change
Student Background Essay: Lifeways,
1770 - 1850
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| Intended Learning Outcomes |
Understandings
Students will understand:
- Deerfield was a complex community with members
taking on a variety of roles and jobs, i.e. servant, craftsman,
housewife, clergy, and apprentice.
- Deerfield families had strong kinship ties
with families along the Connecticut River.
Skills
Students will be able to:
- Use information gained from the other times,
and describe on a continuum changes in the growth of the Deerfield
Community.
- Articulate the varied and necessary roles typical for the support
of a small New England town.
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| In Preparation for Teaching |
1. Read the Teacher Background Essay: Women's Roles Begin to Change
2. Read the Student Background Essay: Lifeways,
1770 - 1850
Further Background Reading:
Cott, Nancy. The Bonds of Womanhood:Woman's Sphere in New England,
1780-1835. New Haven: Yale UP, 1977.
Garrett, Elizabeth. At Home: The American
Family 1750-1870. New York: Abrams, 1990.
Larkin, Jack. The Reshaping of Everyday Life:1790-1840.
New York: Harper, 1988.
Nylander, Jane. Our Own Snug Fireside: Images
of the New England Home, 1700-1860. New haven: Yale UP, 1993.
Evans, Sara. Born of Liberty: A History of
American Women. New York: Free Press, 1989.
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Primary and Secondary Sources:
Unless otherwise noted, all can be found on the
American Centuries website.
- Diary
of Miss Ruth Pease
- Life
and Age of Women
- Modern advertisements from periodicals
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| Activity |
Materials in Context |
- Invite students to read the student
essay to gain insight on the period.
- Read the diary of Miss Ruth Pease. Tell
what can be learned about Miss Pease from the comments she
makes about her personal goals. How does this behavior reflect
a trend in women's responsibilities in society after the
Revolutionary War?
- Review the "Life and Age
of Women." Using a collage of advertisements, develop
a comparison review of contemporary women in the same age
groups. Be prepared to share your results with the class.
Assignment: Compare
"Life and Age of Women – Revolutionary War Period"
to contemporary society. In a journal entry, compare women
from these different periods in history. Think and then write
about what accounts for the changes in lifestyle that led
to the present one you enjoy.
|
Diary
of Miss Ruth Pease
Life
and Age of Women
|
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Collage and/or written comparison
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| 
