Madeline
Mrs. Sonoda
Tuesday Essentials
28 October 2014
Unusual Differences Between Colonial
Times And Present Day
Colonial
times were odd and strange compared to today’s worship, law, and health
treatments .In colonial times, Sunday
was a long, boring,
and strict day. To
colonists, the Bible was their guide book. Even jaunty children were
required to read the Bible in its full length numerous times. On Sunday the
entire community flocked to the meeting house for two tedious services.
A single sermon could last two to five hours! A tithing man carried a church
stick, which had a solid ball at one end and a fluffy fox tail at the other.
When an adult was caught slumbering, the diligent tithing man
would tickle them with the gentle fox tail. A child who misbehaved
received a whack on the head with the wooden ball. If anyone was caught with a
grin on their face, or caught softly whispering they would be fined. Sunday
was a harsh wearisome day in colonial times.
To colonists, law and order was very important, so they had cruel punishments. For
example a man, who expressed his thoughts about not liking the governor,
received a puncture through the tongue and was banished from the community.
Anyone who lied, called a person names, or made mean remarks could be laden
with fines. Most of the trials ended in a punishment meant to cause disgrace in
public. The whipping post, which was in front of the meeting house, was both
painful and shameful. When a person was placed in the stocks, the head was
placed in a ridge and so were the wrists. Then the top was locked down so the
person could not get out. While sitting on a stool not able to move,
passerbys would toss putrid food and lumpy, gritty, mud at their face. Another
discipline was to burn the offender’s crime onto their hand. For stealing a single
shiny silver spoon, you could be hung. Even for less
significant wrongdoings, one could face brutal consequences. If a woman talked
back to her grave husband she was unwillingly compelled to be
tied to a stool and submerged in water for public viewing. School children,
who did not mind their manners and behave, underwent a thrashing from
the solemn school master. If a student talked in class, a fat round
stick called a whispering stick was shoved as far as it would go into their
mouths and tied with string around the back of their heads so they could not
speak. A cap with the words “DUNCE” or “IDLE BOY” or other such names would be
worn by a child who did not pay attention. Having brutal punishments, law and order was crucial to colonists in
colonial times.
Not understanding sickness, people in colonial times believed in odd remedies. Since there were no emergency rooms,
very few doctors, and no modern medicine, many people thought a hostile witch’s
spells were source of sickness. When a family member was sick, a mother, who
was caring, would blend herbs together and feed it to them. Almost all of
the medicines tasted and smelled disgusting. One was so rancid it was
named “Devil’s Dung”. Try burned and crushed Toad Tea. Eeewww! If you
had a fever, you would most likely have blood let. The doctor would cut open
your vein and let blood squirt out. This procedure was not only frivolous it
was perilous! Having weird
antidotes, people of colonial
times definitely couldn’t have understood sickness .Colonial times were unusual and peculiar
compared to today’s praise,
legislation, and medicines.
I wrote this back in 2014. Comment if you like.
Madeline
It's super fun!
