I've discovered that history is not only about the famous policy makers and warriors; history is also about everyday lifestyles. When it comes to Colonial Williamsburg, those lifestyle vary greatly with folks of different backgrounds, races, stations, and belief systems. Another evening program might be in the cards, as well.
Day 3: Daily Life in the Capital City
Supporting Questions:
• How did daily life differ for the various social levels and groups?
• Where and how did people from different social levels interact?
7:00 a.m. Breakfast, drop-in Williamsburg Woodlands
7:45 a.m. Travel by Bus to the Historic Area
8:00 a.m. Domestic Life (Concurrent Sessions) Benjamin Powell House
In the eighteenth century, many tradesmen and middling-sort families lived in Williamsburg. Explore domestic life for all the residents of the Powell property.
Session A: Inside the Powell House Inside the main home, experience how Mrs. Powell directed all in the domestic
sphere, from the children in their chores and social graces, to enslaved people, responsible for serving meals, tending
fires, and running errands among other tasks. Learn also how Mr. Powell directed and employed his apprentices and
enslaved carpenters on building projects.
Session B: Outside in the Yard/Garden
Outside the home in the yard, learn about the labor of the household undertaken in the kitchen, laundry, and garden by
enslaved people, and how they maintained connections between their community and others on various other Powell
owned properties in the county.
9:15 a.m. Break and Travel
9:30 a.m. Resolved: An American Experiment Capitol
A thought-provoking and playful museum theater experience unfolds around you as our troupe of diverse actors explore the events of the 5th Virginia Convention. Become part of the story as a Member of Parliament, a Burgess, or even Patrick Henry. Relive and examine the moment Virginia said yes to American Independence.
10:30 a.m. Self-Guided Exploration Historic Area
11:30 a.m. Tavern Lunch Shields Tavern
1:00 pm Self-Guided Exploration Historic Area
2:30 p.m. Governor’s Palace Tour Governor’s Palace
Enter the years immediately before the Revolution and experience the grandeur of royal government in Virginia just before its collapse. The Governor’s Palace, home to seven royal governors and the first two elected governors in Virginia, was built to impress visitors with a display of authority and wealth.
3:00 p.m. Meet a Person of the Past: Divided Loyalties Palace East Advance
During the American Revolution, many Williamsburg residents chose to remain loyal to their king or to join the rebellion to create something new. But what about those people who were caught in the middle, whose families were torn apart by divided loyalties? Hear from one such person and discover what it was like to have family members on both sides of the conflict.
4:15 p.m. Break and Travel
4:30 p.m. People and Pockets of the Past Lodge Conference Center
Examine the daily lives of eighteenth-century Virginians, from gentry and middling sorts to servants and enslaved people, using a variety of primary sources and artifacts.
5:15 p.m. Teacher Collaboration Lodge Conference Center
You know your students best! Work with other teachers to identify ways to use the Institute materials, content, and strategies in your classroom.
6:00 p.m. Dinner on Own
