Videos

A video demonstration by Townsends of the entire laundry process in the 18th century. These techniques would have been used in the early 1800s as well.

• 18th Century Laundry Practices Part 1

• 18th Century Laundry Practices Part 2

A video demonstration by Early American going through the entire laundry process as it would be done in the year 1820.

• Laundry Day as it was in 1820

Soap making demonstrations and recipes:

• DIY Melt & Pour Soap at Home

• Olive Oil Based Soap

• 1800s Soap Making Demonstration

Depictions of Washerwomen

• Young Woman Ironing, Louis-Léopold Boilly, 1800

• Welsh Peasants Washing, Pyne, 1805

• Washerwomen, Henry Miller, 1805

• The Laundress, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, 1761

• The Jolly Washerwoman, Lilly Martin Spencer, 1851

• Washerwomen in a Grotto,Wolfgang-Adam Toepffer, c. 1825

Primary Sources

• The American Girl’s Book by Miss Leslie, 1863

  • Popular games, stories, and riddles intended for girls of the 19th century.

• A Little Pretty Pocket Book by Isaiah Thomas, 1787

  • Popular games for both boys and girls in the 18th century.

• Children’s Games by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1560

  • A great image to show on a large screen. See if students can spot the games they learned about.

• The Boy’s Own Toy-Maker by Landells, 1860

  • Instructions on how to make homemade toys.

Articles

• Playtime in the 19th Century by King Manor

• Toy Theaters: 19th Century Home Entertainment by the Library of Congress

Videos

• Crafts & Toys from the late 1800s by the Harris County Public Library

• Children’s Toys & Games in the 18th Century by Newport Historical Society

Primary Sources

• The American Girl’s Book by Miss Leslie, 1863

  • Popular games, stories, and riddles intended for girls of the 19th century.

• A Little Pretty Pocket Book by Isaiah Thomas, 1787

  • Popular games for both boys and girls in the 18th century.

• Children’s Games by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1560

  • A great image to show on a large screen. See if students can spot the games they learned about.

• The Boy’s Own Toy-Maker by Landells, 1860

  • Instructions on how to make homemade toys.

Videos

• Preserving the Music of the 18th Century by Townsends

Period Music

• Soldier’s Joy (Features fiddle)

• Fisher’s Hornpipes (Features fife)

• The Girl I Left Behind Me (Features penny whistle and bones)

• Yankee Doodle (Features fife in military context)

• Turkey in the Straw (Features harmonica)

Primary Sources

• Archive of 1800s Fashion at The Met

• Regency Era Women’s Fashion Plates

• Regency Era Men’s Fashion Plates

Activities

• Cardboard Loom and Weaving Activity

• Learn to Sew, Kids!

Videos

• Spinning Wool into Yarn

• How to Make Linen from Flax

• 18th-Century Weaving

• Regency Working Class Women’s Clothing

Primary Sources

• American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, 1796.

  • Considered to be the first American cookbook.

• The Virginia House-Wife by Mary Randolph, 1824.

  • Foundational Southern cookbook with corn breads, hominy, pickling, coffee, and dairy uses.

Activities

• Herb Gardening for Kids by The Herb Society of America

• Historic Recipes for Kids by Colonial Williamsburg

• Cherokee Foods & Recipes by Cherokee Nation Language Department

Videos

• The History of Butter in America by Townsends

• Salad Recipe & Demonstration from 1817 by Early American

• Colonial Era Food Preservation by Townsends