What was life like for children in the 18th century?

The children of average or poor families began working very early on in life, sometimes even as early as age seven. They worked mostly on farms as shepherds, cowherds, or apprentices and often left home to do so.

How did children live in the 18th century?

Things changed little for children during the 18th century. Children from poor families were expected to work as soon as they were able. When they were not working children played simple games. Discipline was still very strict and corporal punishment was normal.

What was life like in the 1800s for kids?

Life in the 1800s

Before the Victorian era, children as young as 6 or 8 years old might work in a mill or factory, they might run errands and make deliveries for a store keeper, they may be apprenticed to a skilled craftsman or woman, or they could be hired out as a servant.

What was the attitude towards children in the 18th century?

During this time, they argue, people began to define children as inherently different from adults: as impressionable, unformed beings who require much protection and attention from adult caretakers, who are in turn expected to regard youngsters with deep affection and nostalgia.

How were children treated in the 1700s?

Children of wealthier families, whilst not expected to engage in manual work to earn money, were still expected to take on responsibilities, and start training for adulthood as soon as they could. They might have more toys, but toys were not primarily for frivolous amusement, but for education.

Life as a Child in the 18th Century

What chores did kids do in the 1700s?

A lot of hard work had to be done on a farm, and children (even very young ones) had to help out as much as they could. The chores children had to do were often the simplest and most boring ones. Children might have to carry wood or water, husk corn, gather berries, lead oxen, card wool, gather eggs or churn butter.

How were children viewed in the 1800s?

With no laws to protect children, this meant they had few rights and were badly treated. Seen as simply the property of their parents, many children were abandoned, abused and even bought and sold. Thought to be born evil, children needed to be corrected, punished and made to become good citizens.

What did kids do for fun in the 18th century?

They made dolls from cornhusks and rags. Leftover wood and string could be used to make spinning tops. Hoops from barrels could be used in races and other games.

What was the role of children in the 18th century?

The children of average or poor families began working very early on in life, sometimes even as early as age seven. They worked mostly on farms as shepherds, cowherds, or apprentices and often left home to do so.

What was the age of adulthood in the 1700s?

But legally, people were not considered adult until they were aged 21. At that age they could marry without parental consent, own a business etc. Girls may be only teenagers and considered marriageable by their parents.

What did kids for fun in the 1800s?

For fun, children would make rag dolls and corn husk dolls to play with, wrap rocks in yarn to make balls, and even use vines or seaweed strips for jump ropes. They played games such as hide-and-seek and tug-of-war. Foot races, hopscotch, marbles, and spinning tops were also popular.

How many hours did children work in the 1800s?

Children in the mills usually worked eleven or twelve hour days, 5-6 days a week. Windows were usually kept closed because moisture and heat helped keep the cotton from breaking.

What did rich Victorian children do?

Rich Victorian children would have gone to school, or been taught at home, and they would have had lots of time to play. You might recognise some of the toys Victorian children played with and you might even have your own versions! Rich Victorian children usually had a variety of wooden or metal toys to play with.

What did kids do before school was invented?

Thus, children from poorer families were expected to work, usually with their parents or families. Many were farmers and did jobs in fields or with livestock, or if your family fished, you did too. Often, work was segregated by gender, with boys doing more outside labour, and girls inside.

What jobs did children do in the 1800s?

In rural areas, young boys, some reportedly under age 14,⁴⁷ toiled in mines, sometimes working their fingers literally to the bone, breaking up coal. Young lads in urban areas often earned their living as newspaper carriers or as couriers. In many towns, mills and glass factories regularly employed girls and boys.

Where did children work in the 1800s?

Through the first half of the 1800s, child labor was an essential part of the agricultural and handicraft economy of the United States. Children worked on family farms and as indentured servants for others. To learn a trade, boys often began their apprenticeships between the ages of ten and fourteen.

How were children viewed historically?

In the two millennia from antiquity to the 17th century, children were mostly seen as imperfect adults. Medieval works of art typically depict them as miniature grown-ups. In 1960 one of the first historians of childhood, Philippe Ariès, declared that in medieval Europe the idea of childhood did not exist.

What did kids do on a daily basis in the 1800s?

Small children, even as young as 4 or 5 years old, had chores such as keeping the fire going, fetching water, and caring for livestock. Even families who lived in towns often owned chickens or horses. Children were responsible for feeding the animals and keeping them from eating the garden.

What kind of toys did kids play with in the 1800s?

Girls would be given dolls, tea sets, and miniature furniture, so they could pretend to be mothers and play house. Boys would be given building blocks, sporting equipment like balls, or a strategy games like marbles and jacks so they could exercise their bodies and minds.

What was the average age of first childbirth in the 1800s?

In 1800, the American birthrate was higher than the birthrate in any European nation. The typical American woman bore an average of 7 children. She had her first child around the age of 23 and proceeded to bear children at two-year intervals until her early 40s.

What did kids call their parents in the 1800s?

The use of the terms "mum" and "dad" to refer to one's parents is a relatively recent development in the English language, dating back to the 19th century. Prior to this, it was more common to use formal titles such as "mother" and "father" or affectionate nicknames such as "mama" and "papa."

Why did people have so many children in the 1800s?

Because they didn't die. Up until the mid 1800's infant mortality was high, a very large proportion of the population died as children. In those circumstances people had as many children as they could to ensure some surviving to adulthood.

What was the common number of children in a home in the 1700's?

In seventeenth and eighteenth century New England, a typical woman bore seven to ten children (Ulrich, 1982). During the seventeenth century, many children experienced more than one mothering figure.

What did children do for fun in the olden days?

Children would share toys such as hoops, marbles and skipping ropes. Other games included tag and hopscotch – which are still played in schools and playgrounds today.

What did people do for fun in the 1700s?

But as far as the 1700's were concerned, entertainment for the upper end of society was based largely around music (Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, etc) and dancing. Also high on the list was going to the ballet, theatre (Balzac, Shelly, Shakespeare reruns, etc), Opera, etc.