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If you lived in Colonial Times you would eat a lot of corn. *If you lived by the sea you might eat lobsters, clams or other sea food. *People who did not live by the sea would eat rabbits,...

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Information on Colonial Trades in Kid-Friendly language

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Colonial Sense: Society-Lifestyle: Signs of the Times: Tanning

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What type of colonial profession would use this phrase published in the Virginia Almanack of 1778-

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Wigmaker, Wheelwright, Weaver, Silversmith, Town Crier, Tailor, Cobbler, Printer, Potter, Milliner, Midwife, Cooper, Map Maker, Gunsmith, Blacksmith, Basketmaker, Carpenter, Cabinetmaker, Apothecary

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Ponder this for a moment: You're 13 years old, you live on a struggling farm in the country with your entire family, and your father just told you that he has set up an apprenticeship for you with a printer in Boston.

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Colonial Williamsburg | The World's Largest Living History Museum

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Experience the largest outdoor educational living museum in the country, through immersive and authentic 18th-century programming for our guests.

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Colonial Williamsburg | The World's Largest Living History Museum

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Experience the largest outdoor educational living museum in the country, through immersive and authentic 18th-century programming for our guests.

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Colonial Williamsburg | The World's Largest Living History Museum

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Experience the largest outdoor educational living museum in the country, through immersive and authentic 18th-century programming for our guests.

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Colonial Williamsburg | The World's Largest Living History Museum

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Experience the largest outdoor educational living museum in the country, through immersive and authentic 18th-century programming for our guests.

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Trades (left-hand column is the list with links)

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Trades (left-hand column is the list with links)

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Apothecary
Wigmaker
Harness & Saddlemaker
Blacksmith
Milliner
Hatter
Cooper
Brickmaker
Printer
Cobbler
Tavern Keeper
Wheelwright
Candlemaker
Gunsmith
General Store Keeper
Silversmith

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This page describes the role of the wigmaker in colonial America.

Wigmaker Guide

Wigmakers Catered to Judges, Attorneys, and the Rich

In affluent villages and cities, full of wealthy landowners and plantations, the wigmaker was very important. Wigmakers made perukes (wigs), queues (hair pieces that hung from the back of the head) and fashioned the hair of the elite. The ownership of a wig or several wigs was sign of status in colonial America. In the Southern colonies, the ownership of wigs was so tied to social status, that wealthy plantation owners bought wigs for their slaves to wear. Wigs were made of horse, goat, or yak hair and skillful wigmakers could customize a wig to the preferences of the customer or to the styles popular in London. The wigmaker was especially busy when the courts were in session as the judges and attorneys each required their own specialized hair pieces.

13 Colonies Artisans and Trades Articles and Activities

13 Colonies Artisans and Trades

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This page describes the role of the wigmaker in colonial America. Wigmaker Guide In affluent villages and cities, full of wealthy landowners and plantations, the wigmaker was very important. Wigmakers made perukes (wigs), queues (hair pieces that hung from the back of the head) and fashioned the hair of the elite.

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Blacksmith, cabinet maker, chandler (candles), cobbler, cooper, gunsmith, milliner, printer, tailor, wheelwright, wigmaker,

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Kids learn about the jobs, trades, and occupations of colonial America including apothecary, blacksmith, cabinetmaker, cobbler, cooper, milliner, printer, and wheelwright.

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Apothecary, gunsmith, blacksmith, farmer, brick maker, milliner, cabinet maker, printer, cobbler, carpenter, cooper, silversmith, tailor, weaver, founder, wheelwright, wigmaker

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colonial williamsburg family vacation packages

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Colonial Williamsburg Education Resource Library

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Read about: apothecary, blacksmith, brick maker, carpenter, chandler (candles), cooper, gunsmith, farmers, fur traders, hatter, milliner, printer, shoemaker, tanner, wheelwright

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The different trades and occupations in the colonies

Colonial Trades and tradesmen

Types of jobs and Colonial trades

Interesting facts and information about Colonial trades and occupations

Educational resource for teachers and kids

Colonial Times - Industries

Trade in the Colonies

American Colonies Index

History of trade, plantations, colonialism and colonization in the 13 Colonies

Colonial Trades: Colonialism, Triangular Trade, Mercantilism, Trade, Industries and Plantations

Colonial Trades
Colonial America was an exciting place. Raw materials and natural resources were being used to create trade and commerce in the new colonies. The 13 original colonies of the colonial times were classified by their their locations - the New England colonies, the Middle colonies and the Southern colonies. The natural resources and climate determined the most lucrative resources for trade. The Colonial Trades developed in each of the colonies and trades thrived. There were many different trades and occupations in the colonies. Many of these trades and occupations are detailed in this article with a short description of what each one of these trades entailed for the tradesmen and the workers in the colonies. The following chart provides a brief overview of the industries and trade in each of the regions.

Colonial Regions Industries and Trade required Colonial Trades and Occupations

New England Colonies

Middle Colonies

Corn and wheat and livestock including beef and pork. Other industries included the production of iron ore, lumber, shipbuilding, coal, textiles and the fur trade

Southern Colonies

Tobacco, sugar, rice, indigo, cotton, via the Slave Plantations, lumber, furs, farm products

Fast Facts about the Colonial Trades and Occupations
There were many trades and occupations that were required in all the colonies but the above chart provides a good indication where specialized trades might choose to work. This fact file on Colonial Trades and Occupations provides fast access to facts and information about each of the different types of trades and occupations in the colonies. The Colonial Trades and Occupations are listed in alphabetical order.

Colonial Trades & Occupations The Apothecary

The Apothecary prepared and sold drugs to the colonists, making up compounds into medicines. He was recognised as a man of some standing in the community and often acted as a kind of physician when qualified doctors or surgeons were not available.

Colonial Trades & Occupations The Architect

The Architect was recognised as a man of standing in the colonies and would be employed by the wealthy colonists requiring a house to be built, or was consulted in the public buildings. The architect was skilled in the art of building and architecture. His job was to prepare designs and plans for the building and supervise the workers.

The Blacksmith was extremely important in the colonies. The blacksmith worked to create iron utensils such as horseshoes using a forge.

The Brewers were in demand in America. Colonists believed that it was safer to drink beer in preference to water. Distilleries are the names of the places where liquor is manufactured and the brewers and distillers worked. Rum became a major export from the colonies.

The Brick Maker used kilns to make bricks. Unskilled workers, servants or slaves did the work of a brick maker. The brick makers worked with clay and moulds to make the bricks.

Colonial Trades & Occupations The Caulkers

The caulkers worked in the ship building industries. The caulkers they sealed joints making ships water-tight.

Colonial Trades & Occupations The Chandler

The Chandler was a maker and seller of candles, soap, oils and paints.

The Cooper (Barrel Maker) was an important worker. Barrels were used for transporting products such as rum, flour, fruit, salted meat and fish during Colonial Times. These products were all essential for trade and commerce. The cooper made barrels, hogsheads, casks, etc.

The Hatter was a tradesman who made hats. Hats were made of beavers skins during the colonial period, however the colonists were not allowed to make hats. They had to export the beaver skins to England who would make the hats - refer to the Hat Act for full details

D'Orsay
Beaver Hat

Continental
Beaver Hat

The early colonists discovered that iron ore was in great abundance in Colonial America. The manufacture of iron was one of their most valuable natural resources. The iron makers worked in ironworks. Iron was used to make barrel hoops, anchors, chains, wagon wheels, plows, tools, spikes, kettles and nails.

The Joiner was a woodworker who made products by joining pieces of wood. The joiner was responsible for the wood work on items such as stairs, doors, shutters,
mantelpieces, cupboards, and other parts necessary to finishing a building. The work of a joiner and carpenter was often done by the same workman.

The Milliner was the occupation undertaken by women. The female milliners created hats and small fancy items for sale to the colonists. The milliners imported and dealt in other small articles of a miscellaneous kind.

The Overseers were men hired by planters to manage and direct the work of slaves on the massive Plantations in the Southern colonies. Overseers were usually from the white, badly educated lower classes.

The Shipbuilders constructed ships and was also known as naval architects or as shipwrights. The work of a shipbuilder was extremely important to New England industries as the shipyards and warehouses played a prominent role in these colonies. The ship building industry including carpenters, joiners, sail makers, coopers aka barrel makers, painters, caulkers (they sealed joints making ships water-tight) and blacksmiths. The following picture is of a colonial ship building yard.

The tanners might operate as a small business but most worked in tanneries, to tan the skins and hides of animals, converting them into leather. The leather was used primarily for making boots and shoes but doublets and jerkins were also made of leather .

The trappers set traps for animals to obtain their skins and furs. Beaver skins were used in hat making by the hatters.

The Warehouse workers worked in large storehouses where raw materials and other goods were stored until they were shipped out to England. Warehouse played a prominent role in the industrialised colonies of New England.

Colonial Trades & Occupations The Wheelwright

The Wheelwright was a man whose occupation was to make or repair wheels for
vehicles such as carts and wagons.

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The different trades and occupations in the colonies Colonial Trades and tradesmen Types of jobs and Colonial trades Interesting facts and information about Colonial trades and occupations Educational resource for teachers and kids Colonial Times - Industries Trade in the Colonies American Colonies Index History of trade, plantations, colonialism and colonization in the 13 Colonies Colonial Trades: Colonialism, Triangular Trade, Mercantilism, Trade, Industries and Plantations Colonial Trades Colonial America was an exciting place.

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Every day life

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Colonial Craftsmen at Colonial Williamsburg

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VIDEO:   Colonial Williamsburg Trades People

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VIDEO:   Colonial Williamsburg Trades People

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Video: Colonial Williamsburg, VA