Colonial Era Words

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Date:

Instructions: Explore the language of early American colonists and their daily life (1600s-1700s)

1.
In colonial America, what was a 'commonplace book'?
A
A basic schoolbook
B
A church hymnal
C
A town registry
D
A personal notebook for recording quotes and ideas
2.
What did colonists mean by 'the stocks'?
A
A wooden frame for public punishment
B
Livestock pens
C
Barrels of supplies
D
Financial investments
3.
In colonial times, what was a 'tanner'?
A
A sunbathing device
B
A copper coin
C
A person who turned animal hides into leather
D
A brown-colored dye
4.
What was a 'hornbook' in colonial education?
A
A book about musical instruments
B
A flat board with a lesson sheet protected by transparent horn
C
A farming manual
D
A guide to hunting
5.
In colonial America, what did 'bundling' refer to?
A
Packaging goods for trade
B
A courting practice where a couple shared a bed fully clothed
C
Wrapping a baby in swaddling clothes
D
Binding wheat sheaves
6.
What was a 'cooper' in the colonial period?
A
A chicken farmer
B
A town constable
C
A copper miner
D
A barrel maker
7.
In colonial language, what was a 'sampler'?
A
An embroidered cloth displaying needlework skills
B
A food taster
C
A type of shoe
D
A tax assessor
8.
What did 'pillory' refer to in colonial America?
A
A prayer pillow
B
A type of hat
C
A wooden frame that trapped the head and hands for public punishment
D
A pillow factory
9.
In the colonial era, what was a 'broadside'?
A
A large single-sheet printed announcement
B
A type of cannon
C
A wide avenue
D
The side of a ship
10.
What was a 'dame school' in colonial times?
A
A dance academy
B
A finishing school for ladies
C
A school for aristocrats
D
A basic school run by a woman in her home
11.
In colonial vocabulary, what did 'husbandry' mean?
A
The duties of a husband
B
A marriage ceremony
C
The practice of farming and managing a household
D
A type of land ownership
12.
What was a 'chandler' in colonial America?
A
A candlestick holder
B
A church singer
C
A maker or seller of candles and soap
D
A river boatman
13.
In the colonial period, what was 'johnnycake'?
A
Cornmeal flatbread
B
A nickname for British soldiers
C
A type of party
D
A children's game
14.
What did 'meetinghouse' refer to in colonial New England?
A
A courthouse
B
A building used for both worship and town meetings
C
A marketplace
D
A tavern
15.
In colonial times, what was a 'selectman'?
A
A military recruiter
B
A land surveyor
C
A jury foreman
D
An elected town official

Answer Key

Question 1

D. A personal notebook for recording quotes and ideas

Question 2

A. A wooden frame for public punishment

Question 3

C. A person who turned animal hides into leather

Question 4

B. A flat board with a lesson sheet protected by transparent horn

Question 5

B. A courting practice where a couple shared a bed fully clothed

Question 6

D. A barrel maker

Question 7

A. An embroidered cloth displaying needlework skills

Question 8

C. A wooden frame that trapped the head and hands for public punishment

Question 9

A. A large single-sheet printed announcement

Question 10

D. A basic school run by a woman in her home

Question 11

C. The practice of farming and managing a household

Question 12

C. A maker or seller of candles and soap

Question 13

A. Cornmeal flatbread

Question 14

B. A building used for both worship and town meetings

Question 15

D. An elected town official

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