Tension had been growing between the colonies and the English king since 1773, when England defeated France in the French and Indian Wars. As a result, France was driven out of North America. England now had vast territories but a large debt arising from the costs of the war. England wanted the colonies to help pay off the debt through taxes. After all, the residents of England were doing the same. But the colonists argued that if they were going to pay taxes, they should have the same rights as other English subjects, including representation in Parliament.

Despite repeated protests from the colonies, England passed the Stamp Act in 1765, requiring a tax on printed documents. Colonists were enraged. "No taxation without representation" became their rallying cry. As the English government tried to collect one tax after another, tension erupted into sporadic violence. The colonies banded together in 1774 to create a congress to represent their common interests, forming for the first time a united front. But families and friends were divided as was approached. Finally, in 1776, the king of England declared the colonies in rebellion, and the colonies declared themselves independent.

Background
Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in America. In spite of the hard work and determination of the early settlers, they faced terrible times. Many died as a result of disease and starvation.

Eventually, the colonists learned how to survive in Virginia. Although Jamestown was the capital of the colony, it did not grow larger because it was surrounded by low, swampy land.

In 1699 the statehouse of Jamestown burned down. The governor decided that the fire was a good reason to move the capital to the new place. That place was Middle Plantation, which was not swampy like Jamestown. It was located farther inland on dry, high ground. The new capital was later named Williamsburg, in honor of William III, the King of England.

Today Williamsburg has been restored and is both a museum and living city. Horsedrawn carriages "clippity-clop" through its Historic Area where cars are not allowed. Visiting Williamsburg is like stepping back in time.

Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company
Here are some "Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company" that a thirteen-year-old boy wrote down. The boy was George Washington, the same George Washington who later became the first president of the United States. Maybe his good manners helped him succeed.

Every action in company ought to be a sign of respect to those present.

In the presence of others, sing not to yourself, nor drum with your fingers or feet.

Speak not when others speak, and sit not when others stand.

Let your countenance be pleasant, but in serious matters, somewhat grave.

Show not yourself glad at the misfortunes of others.

When a man does all he can, though it succeeds not well, blame not him who did it.

Let your recreations be manful, not sinful.

Use no reproachful language against anyone, neither curses or reviling.

Gaze not at the blemishes of others, and ask not how they came.

Be not angry at the table, especially if there are strangers, for good humor makes one dish a feast.

Marbles
Marbles are one of the few toys kids had in colonial times. Sometimes they made their own marbles out of clay.

Draw a circle on the sidewalk or in the dirt. Each player puts a marble inside the circle. Players kneel outside the circle. Each player takes a turn using a shooter (a larger marble) to try and knock marbles out of the circle.

Use your thumb to flick the shooter. Try to make it hit exactly where you want it to go. You only get 1 flick per turn.

Any marbles that are knocked outside the line are won by the shooting player.

Fife and Drum
Drums rattled and fifes trilled calling the militia to arms. Dozens of citizen soldiers snapped to attention as the music directed their movements. Long beats of the drum and high, short notes on the fife could mean "time to eat" or "let's take a break." In battle, however, the fifes and drums commanded soldiers to march and fight.

Boys ages twelve to sixteen served as fifers and drummers - the "tongue and ears" of the militia. Among armies of the eighteenth century, field music was used to send orders to different groups of soldiers. Both the fife and drum could be heard above the roll of musket fire and the thunder of cannon. Officers ordered the young musicians to play at different tempos to signal that soldiers should march quickly, turn right or left, or attack or retreat. The soldiers' lives depended on the skill of the fifers and drummers.

When a boy reached his sixteenth birthday, he was usually expected to trade his fife or drum for a musket and serve in the militia until he turned sixty.

Toddlers
Toddlers sometimes wore a pudding. A pudding was padding that was wrapped around the child's middle so that he or she could fall down while playing and not get hurt. Some toddlers also wore a soft padded hat that was a lot like a helmet. It was called a pudding cap, and it protected the child's head.

A Girls Life In Colonial Times

Jobs:

Girls learned the domestic industries of spinning, weaving, sewing, and candlemaking. In those days girls seldom worked outside the home.

Clothing:
Like boys, girls also wore linen dresses until they were five or six years old. The dress had a full skirt and tight bodice, but strings were attached to the back, not the front, of the bodice. The strings were used to hold on to the child when she was learning to walk. After the age of six, wealthy girls began wearing fancy silk dresses with stays, or corsets. Many people believed that stays helped improve the posture of young women. Middle and lower-class girls wore comfortable and practical clothing like their mothers. Girls also wore long aprons and a cap on their heads.

A Boy's Life In Colonial Times

Jobs:

Boys were apprenticed to craftsmen such as coopers, wheelwrights, and printers. If a father was a craftsman, his son usually learned his trade.

Clothing:

Boys wore linen dresses until they were five or six years old. After the age of six most children started dressing like their parents. Upper-class boys wore fine waistcoats, breeches, and silk stockings. Many even wore wigs! The children of the middle and lower classes also wore clothes that resembled those worn by their parents. Boys wore loose, long-sleeved shirts and pants. Their breeches were sometimes made of deer skin that stretched too big when they became wet, and shrunk too small when it dried. A vest was usually worn, too, and was made of deer skin or wool. Boys wore dark-colored, knitted socks that came up to their hips, worn beneath their pants. They always wore something on their heads, too, like wool knit caps or wide-brimmed hats.

Make a Quill Pen and Homemade Ink
In school, students sat on long wooden benches. They spent the day copying the alphabet, words, and arithmetic problems onto a slate, or practicing penmanship with a quill pen. Some pen points were made of metal and screwed into wooden handles, but these pens were expensive and only used by adults. Children often made pens from bird feathers.

Materials:
1 long bird feather, a turkey feather is best (available in craft supply stores)
Knife or scissors
1 old sock or thick plastic ziplock bag
Hammer12 walnut shells
Small jar with lid
Measuring spoons
¼ teaspoon white vinegar
Paper

Use knife or scissors to cut the quill (the center of the feather) at a slant. The hollow in the quill will hold ink, and the slanted point will direct the ink onto the paper. After using the pen for a while, the point will dull. You can re-cut it again just above the worn-down tip.

Place the walnut shells into the sock or bag and close securely. Lightly hammer the sock to break up the shells. The more broken up the shells are, the better. Put the shells in a small saucepan and add the water. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the shells soak in the water overnight. (Quite a bit of it will have cooked away.)

Pour the brown ink you've made into a small jar and add ¼ teaspoon of white vinegar. The vinegar will keep the color from fading and the ink from spoiling.

Use your pen to write a message on the paper using your homemade ink!