As the colonies grew into towns and cities and then expanded into rural areas, much of the day to day culture was very much similar to the culture in England. Most of the families of New England lived in rural areas where they worked their own land or labored on someone else’s farm [3]. The techniques they used for raising livestock and growing gardens were mainly learned from English traditions. However, the American colonists had another influence that Europeans were lacking, the Native Americans. Especially in early colonization, there were often wars and hostility felt between the colonists and the Natives, but there was also evidence of tolerance and friendship between them. The Algonquian tribe bringing corn to the colonists was seen as a peace gesture, and the corn would shape much of the diets of American culture during early colonization, on through present day America [4]. Although much of American culture was based on European customs, especially English, colonists had a growing dislike for the bloated English Aristocracy, and leading up to the revolution they tried to distinguish themselves as a republican society. “For decades, various European writers had idealized Americans as an industrious, egalitarian people, content with the simple joys of life”[5].
The culture of colonies of New England was different in some ways from the Middle colonies. In the colonies the two main measures of success could be either growing food to feed your family with minimal profits, or manifesting your energy to turn the highest profits you can and then purchasing what you need. As the colonies developed, these different options became more and more regional. In New England families had fewer or no slaves so they grew or made whatever they needed for day to day life. The middle colonies were different, for example he Chesapeake Bay settlers “lacked the religiously inspired drive to build farms and imitate English agriculture; instead, profit motivated them” [6]. Even the Native Americans seemed to influence the culture of the two regions differently. The New Englanders often dressed as Native Americans during protests, while the middle and southern colonies used Native American costumes and rituals during community celebrations [7].
Studying the role of food in the history of American Culture is very helpful to understanding much of what made up day to day life. Whether its trade, influence of other cultures, or ways to make a living food is at the center of it all. Food was even at the center of American politics as barbecuing at campaigns was the only way to feed such a massive crowd. “These functions, in the day of poor roads and few settlements, were a means of luring voters to a meeting with the promise of free food” [8].
Another thing that would help to understand American culture is a more specific look into the inner workings of the typical American family at the time. Especially the education of the children of the family and what priorities were taught to them, as well as what was expected of them. What children learn in early life often sticks with them, and it would be interesting to see how that translated as American culture evolved.
Bibliography
[1] Dave Dewitt, The Founding Foodies. (Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2010), 7
[2] Dave Dewitt, The Founding Foodies. (Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2010), 32
[3] Karin Enloe, “Colonial and Revolution Module” Lecture, https://sites.google.com/site/drecultural/home/colonial-and-revolution (Accessed May 31, 2012)
[4] Dave Dewitt, The Founding Foodies. (Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2010), 4
[5] “The Road to Revolution: Patterns of Change 1700-1775”, Digital History, http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=691 (Accessed May 31, 2012.)
[6] Dave Dewitt, The Founding Foodies. (Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2010), 15
[7] Philip J. Deloria, Playing Indian, (New Haven: Yale Historical Publications, 1998), 12-13
[8] Dave Dewitt, The Founding Foodies. (Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2010), 131
