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The New Nation · American Life

American Life

How Americans lived in the first decades of the republic — home and family, society and custom, the regions and the rising cities of a young nation.

Everyday Life in the Republic

Home & Family

Introductionoverview
Overview

Introduction

Daily life in the young United States — home, work and community.

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Homeshome
Home

Homes

The houses Americans built and lived in, from farmhouse to townhouse.

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Foodtable
Table

Food

What Americans ate and how they cooked in the early republic.

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Clothingdress
Dress

Clothing

How Americans dressed, from homespun to imported finery.

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Childrenfamily
Family

Children

Childhood, work and play in the new nation.

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How Americans Lived

Society & Culture

Educationlearning
Learning

Education

Schools, academies and literacy in the young republic.

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Mannerscustom
Custom

Manners

Etiquette, courtesy and the social codes of the era.

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Weddingscustom
Custom

Weddings

Courtship and marriage customs in the new nation.

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Funeralscustom
Custom

Funerals

Death, mourning and burial in early America.

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Entertainmentleisure
Leisure

Entertainment

Theater, music, taverns and the amusements of the age.

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Languagespeech
Speech

Language

The American tongue as a distinct national language took shape.

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A Nation of Sections

Region by Region

Regionsoverview
Overview

Regions

The distinct regions of the young United States.

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New Englandregion
Region

New England

Yankee farms, ports and towns of the Northeast.

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Mid-Atlanticregion
Region

Mid-Atlantic

The bustling middle states from New York to the Chesapeake.

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Southregion
Region

South

The plantation South and its slave-based economy.

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Westregion
Region

West

The trans-Appalachian frontier filling with settlers.

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Moving Through the New Nation

Communication & Country

Communicationconnection
Connection

Communication

Mail, newspapers and how news traveled the new nation.

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Travelroads
Roads

Travel

Roads, rivers and the slow business of getting around.

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Farmersland
Land

Farmers

The farming life that occupied most Americans.

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Citiesurban
Urban

Cities

The growing cities of the early republic.

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Townstown
Town

Towns

The country towns that anchored American life.

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Rural vs Urbansociety
Society

Rural vs Urban

The divide between country and city life.

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America’s Early Cities

The Cities

Bostoncity
City

Boston

The cradle of the Revolution and a thriving New England port.

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New Yorkcity
City

New York

The rising commercial capital on the Hudson.

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Philadelphiacity
City

Philadelphia

The nation’s largest city and first capital.

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Baltimorecity
City

Baltimore

The fast-growing Chesapeake port.

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Washingtoncity
City

Washington

The raw new capital rising on the Potomac.

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Charlestoncity
City

Charleston

The wealthy heart of the Lower South.

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New Orleanscity
City

New Orleans

The Creole port at the mouth of the Mississippi.

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