A Day in the Life. çolonial Â. Lesson Plans and Resources EPISODE SEVEN: JAMES CAMPBELL S DAY. çolonial Â

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1 147 A Day in the Life EPISODE SEVEN: JAMES CAMPBELL S DAY Lesson Plans and Resources

148 Episode Synopsis James Campbell is a blacksmith s apprentice working for Mr. James Anderson. Mr. Anderson owns a large business and employs several blacksmiths to help with the work.

2 148 Episode Synopsis James Campbell is a blacksmith s apprentice working for Mr. James Anderson. Mr. Anderson owns a large business and employs several blacksmiths to help with the work. In fact, the business has grown so large that Mr. Anderson now spends most of his time managing the business. Students might note that we never actually see Mr. Anderson at the forge. James s father has apprenticed James to Mr. Anderson. An apprenticeship was a contract to provide for the education of a child. Fathers decided what trade or business their children would learn. James might have asked his father to apprentice him as a blacksmith, but in the end it was his father s choice, not James s. As part of the apprenticeship contract, Mr. Anderson promised to feed, clothe, and shelter James. James actually became a member of Mr. Anderson s household. Mr. Anderson also agreed to teach James reading, writing, and arithmetic. These were necessary skills for any successful businessman or tradesman. Most important, Mr. Anderson agreed to teach James the art and mystery of the blacksmithing trade. For his part, James agreed to work, without wages, for Mr. Anderson until he had learned the trade, probably seven or eight years. Students will notice that James does much work that does not involve forging iron. Apprentices were often assigned chores such as cleaning up the shop, hauling coal, and running errands. In addition, apprentices learned reading, writing, and arithmetic. These were necessary skills for anyone who hoped to become a successful tradesman and businessman. James also learns drawing so that he can design pieces of ironwork. Mr. Anderson has several journeymen working in his shop. Men like Dawson and Bones have finished their apprenticeship. They now work for wages in the hopes of earning enough money to one day set up and become master of their own blacksmith shop. These journeymen also take on a large share of James s training. The journeymen will include James in their work tasks and correct him when he makes a mistake. The journeymen will show him how to complete his assignments through long days of hard physical labor, days that begin at sunrise and do not end until sunset.

3 149 LESSON ONE Apprentice Contract INTRODUCTION An apprenticeship was a legal contract between the apprentice and master craftsman. These contracts were often drawn up, signed before the courts, entered into a deed book, and considered binding. As part of the contract, an apprentice agreed to keep trade secrets, obtain his master s permission before leaving the premises, and to abstain from vices such as frequenting taverns and the theater. Most important, the apprentice agreed to work for the master without pay for the term of the contract. The contract also listed the obligations of the master craftsman to his apprentice. Masters provided basic education (reading, writing, and arithmetic), training in the craft, room and board, and sometimes a set of tools or clothes on completion of the apprenticeship. This lesson will look at an actual contract between John Draper, blacksmith, and Francis Moss, apprentice, in eighteenthcentury Williamsburg. STANDARDS OF LEARNING This lesson meets the National Standards of Learning in the areas of historical comprehension, analysis, and interpretation. OBJECTIVES As a result of this lesson, students will be able to 1. analyze and interpret a primary source to explore the role and responsibilities of an eighteenth-century master craftsman and his apprentice, 2. differentiate between the role and responsibilities of a master craftsman and those of an apprentice by completing a graphic organizer, 3. apply their knowledge by comparing the roles and responsibilities of a twenty-first-century employer and his or her employee. MATERIALS John Draper Indenture Contract Graphic Organizer Master and Apprentice Responsibilities STRATEGY 1. Students may work on this activity individually, in pairs, or in groups. Divide students and distribute copies of the apprentice contract and document organizer as needed. 2. Students will read the contract and complete the graphic organizer. 3. Divide the class into several small groups. Half of the groups will determine the role and responsibilities of the apprentice, recording them in the appropriate column on the graphic organizer. The other half will do the same for the master tradesman. 4. As a class, discuss the contents of the students graphic organizers. Students will complete their organizers based on the class discussion. 5. Complete the discussion by comparing and contrasting eighteenth-century apprenticeships with twenty-first-century employment opportunities. 6. Students will choose a present-day job or career and compare the roles and responsibilities of the employer and employee. Students will create a contract between themselves and a future employer on a separate sheet of paper.

4 150 John Draper Indenture Contract This Indenture Witnesseth That Francis Moss of the County of York by approbation of the Court of the County aforesaid and his own Consent hath put himself, and by these presents doth voluntarily and of his own free will and accord put himself apprentice to John Draper of the City of Williamsburg to learn his Art Trade and Mystery and after the manner of an Apprentice to serve the said John Draper from the Day of the Date hereof for and During and unto the full one and Term of Six Years during all which Term the said Apprentice his said Master faithfully shall serve his Secrets keep his Lawfull Commands at all Times readily Obey: He shall do no Damage to his said Master, nor see it be done by others without giving Notice thereof to his said Master. He shall not waste his said Masters Goods nor lend them unlawfully to any. He shall not... contract Matrimony within the said Term. At Cards Dice or any other unlawfull Game he shall not play whereby his said Master may have Damage With his own Goods nor the Goods of others without License from his said Master he shall not buy nor sell. He shall not absent himself Day or Night from his said Masters Service without his Leave nor haunt Alehouses Taverns or playhouses but in all Things, behave himself as a faithful apprentice ought to do during the said Term. And the said Master shall use the utmost of his Endeavours to teach or Cause to be taught or instructed the said Apprentice in the Trade or Mystery of a Blacksmith and procure or provide for him sufficient Meat Drink Cloathes Washing and Lodging fitting for an apprentice during the said Term of Six Years also teach him to read and write with freedom Dues And for the true performance of all and singular the Covenants and Agreements aforesaid the parties bind themselves each unto the other firmly by these presents. In Witness whereof the said Parties have interchangeably set their Hands and Seals hereunto Dated the Twentieth day of May in the Eleventh Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third King of Great Britain &c. Anno Domini One Thousand Seven hundred and seventy one. Sealed and Delivered In the Presence of John Draper Francis Moss York County, Virginia, Deed Book 8, , pp

5 151 Graphic Organizer Master and Apprentice Responsibilities ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN APPRENTICE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A MASTER CRAFTSMAN

6 152 LESSON TWO Trades in Colonial Virginia, Who Is Doing What? INTRODUCTION Students explore the variety of trades practiced by early Virginians. OBJECTIVES As a result of this lesson, students will be able to 1. identify the most commonly practiced occupations in colonial Virginia, 2. compare and contrast trades found in Williamsburg with those practiced in the Virginia colony. STANDARDS OF LEARNING This lesson meets the National Standards of Learning for historical analysis, historical comprehension, and chronological thinking. MATERIALS Primary Source Print: Children Making Bricks Nonagricultural Trades in Eighteenth-Century Virginia Occupational Structure of Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg Glossary of Selected Trades in Eighteenth-Century Virginia SETTING THE STAGE (Note: Before starting this lesson, the class should investigate general aspects of life in eighteenth-century Tidewater Virginia.) Make a transparency of the Primary Source Print: Children Making Bricks. Show the picture on an overhead projector, but do not reveal the title to the students. After students have had adequate time to examine the image, ask the following questions: 1. What do you see in this picture? 2. What kind of activity is taking place in this picture? 3. Are the people playing or working? 4. What are they doing? 5. Do the people in the picture look like adults? 6. What does the image suggest about life in the 1700s? STRATEGY 1. Divide students into small groups or pairs. Ask them to imagine they are visiting Virginia more than two hundred years ago. The date is December 4, 1773, and they have just arrived from England, the colony s mother country. Remind the students that most people in eighteenth-century Virginia earn a living by farming. 2. Direct each group to create a list of twelve occupations or trades they think they will encounter during their visit. Leading questions: What kinds of goods and services would people living in Virginia have needed two hundred years ago? If you were a farmer, which tradesmen would you have done business with? Did people in Virginia have to import goods from other countries? What kinds of goods would have been made in Virginia?

7 Have each group rate their list of occupations using a 1-to-12 scale, with 1 as the trade most in demand and 12 as the trade least in demand. Ask the students how common the building trades were compared with other trades practiced in Virginia. Where do the building trades rank in the top-12 list? Have each group report on their ranked list of occupations to the other groups, and justify the selection and rating of specific trades. 4. Distribute a copy of Nonagricultural Trades in Eighteenth-Century Virginia to each group. Have the groups compare the two lists and discuss similarities and differences. Leading questions: How does your list differ from the actual list of trades? Why are there differences in the lists? Are there comparable professions today? (Note: The Glossary of Selected Trades in Eighteenth-Century Virginia defines unfamiliar trade names. It is provided for teacher reference.) 5. Distribute a copy of the Occupational Structure of Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg chart to each group. Direct the groups to identify the top 12 occupations in Williamsburg according to the chart. Have the groups compare the top 12 trades in Virginia to the top 12 in Williamsburg. Have each group develop ideas that explain why differences or similarities exist. Groups must report all conclusions and defend their statements. Leading questions: Why do you think the top occupations in Virginia would differ from the top occupations in Williamsburg? Does the fact that Williamsburg is the capital city of the colony have any bearing on the differences in the lists? Do the professions listed tell you anything about the needs of the colonists? Did men and women have similar careers in the eighteenth century? EVALUATION Have half of the students write a letter to other students in the room describing their visit to eighteenth-century Williamsburg. Each letter must (1) be written from the perspective of a slave, a female, a free black, or a white person; (2) discuss a trade and indicate why it is important in Virginia; and (3) describe how the trade relates to at least three other trades in Virginia. The students receiving letters must write return letters using the same criteria listed above, but from a modern point of view.

8 From Blanche Cirker, ed., 1800 Woodcuts by Thomas Bewick and His School (New York, 1962), plate 174, no. 5. PRIMARY SOURCE PRINT 154

9 155 Nonagricultural Trades in Eighteenth-Century Virginia Most people in eighteenth-century Virginia were agricultural workers, although a small number were engaged in nonagricultural trades. To date, approximately 141 nonagricultural occupations have been identified. Of those individuals identified as nonagricultural workers, approximately 80 percent practiced one of the following trades: 1. Carpenter/joiners 18.0% 2. Shoemakers 11.0% 3. Tailors 10.0% 4. Blacksmiths 9.0% 48.0% 5. Coopers 4.0% 6. Weavers 3.9% 7. Bricklayers 2.9% 8. Shipwrights 2.8% 9. Cabinetmakers 2.5% 16.1% 10. Mariners 2.2% 11. Saddlers 2.1% 12. Barber/Wigmakers 2.1% 13. Wheelwrights 2.0% 14. Teachers 1.9% 15. Hatters 1.5% 16. Tanners 1.4% 17. Gunsmiths 1.4% 18. Silversmiths 1.3% 15.9% All other non-agricultural trades 20.0% Total non-agricultural trades 100.0% From Research on Names of Tradesmen in Colonial Virginia by Harold B. Gill, Jr., Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

10 156 Occupational Structure of Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg A. Artisans/Craftsmen Number Female Black Master Journeyman Apprentice Servant Baker Barber/Wigmaker Blacksmith/Armorer Bookbinder Breechesmaker 3 3 Bricklayer Builder 1 1 Butcher Cabinetmaker Carpenter/Joiner Carver/Guilder Chair/Coachmaker Chandler 1 1 Collarmaker 1 1 Cook Cooper Cutler 1 1 Engraver Filesmith 1 1 Founder 1 1 Gardener Glazier 1 1 Glover/Breechesmaker 1 1 Grazier 1 1 Groom/Farrier 1 1 Gunsmith Harnessmaker 2 2 Hatter Joiner Laborer 2 2 Leatherdresser 1 1

11 157 Linen Draper 1 1 Mantuamaker Nailor 5 5 Painter 2 2 Pewterer 1 1 Plaisterer 1 1 Printer Ropemaker 1 1 Saddler 9 9 Shearman 1 1 Shoemaker Silversmith Staymaker Stockingmaker 1 1 Tailor (Tailoress) Tanner 3 3 Turner 1 1 Upholsterer 2 2 Watchmaker Weaver 1 1 Wheelwright Whitesmith B. Other Occupations Fine Arts (Artists, Musicians) 5 Medical (Apothecary, Dentist, Physician, Surgeon) 25 Merchants 37 Milliners 11 (all female) Professional (Attorney, Accountant, Clerk, Lawyer, Minister) 11 Tavern Keepers 14 (4 female, 10 male) Teachers (Dance, Drawing, Fencing, Military, Music) 32 (6 female, 26 male) 135

12 158 Glossary of Selected Trades in Eighteenth-Century Virginia Armorer Repairs and maintains firearms for the government or for an army. Blacksmith Works with the black metals such as iron and steel. Breechesmaker Makes men s breeches out of leather. Cabinetmaker Builds furniture of the latest fashion. Caulker Caulks ships. Chairmaker Builds riding chairs, a type of wheeled vehicle. Chandler Makes and sells candles, soap, and other supplies. Chariotmaker Makes a type of wheeled riding vehicle. Collarmaker A leatherworker who makes horse collars. Collier Makes charcoal, mostly for fueling iron furnaces. Cooper Makes wooden casks and containers such as buckets and barrels. Currier A type of leatherworker. Cutler Makes, repairs, and sells edge tools and knives. Ditcher Digs ditches. Farrier Shoes horses and works as a veterinarian. Filesmith A blacksmith who specializes in making files. Finer Works in a finery turning cast iron into wrought iron. Gilder Applies gold leaf/gold paint to wood or plaster. Glazier Cuts and sells glass, usually window glass. Grazier Grazes animals. Glover Makes gloves. Hammerman A type of ironworker. Harnessmaker Makes and repairs leather harnesses and saddles for horses and carriages. Joiner A woodworker who specializes in fine finish woodwork for houses. Leatherdresser Prepares leather after it has been tanned. Mantuamaker Dressmaker. Mariner Seaman, sailor. Millwright Builds windmills and water mills. Nailor Makes nails.

13 159 Plaisterer Plasters walls of houses. Rigger Works in a shipyard rigging ships. Sawyer Saws lumber out of logs by hand with a pit saw. Shearman Shears sheep. Spinner Spins thread. Staymaker Makes women s stays, an undergarment similar to a corset. Tanner Tans leather. Turner Turns ivory, brass, iron, and wood on a lathe. Wheelwright Makes wheels, carts, and wagons. Whitesmith A blacksmith who makes brightly polished, highly finished objects out of iron and steel.

Maryland Council on Economic Education 1

Maryland Council on Economic Education 1 Life in Colonial Boston by Jennifer Blizin Gillis. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2003. ISBN 140344284-3 Literature Annotation: This book describes life in colonial Boston, Massachusetts from 1760-1773. The