Life in the 1700's
Peasants
Peasants (Work)
The daily life of a peasant consist of a lot of work. A peasant would usually start off their day with breakfast then they would start to work on the fields. The work they did in the fields and on land included cutting crops for harvest, planting seeds, break and turn over earth with a plow to form a furrow, cutting grass and curing it for hay, beat the stems and husks of plants to separate the grains or seeds, and creating boundaries. Their outside work usually finished at dusk so their working hours were therefore longer during the summer months. Peasants made some of their own tools using wood, leather, and the horns from cattle. Obviously as time went by, there were advances in technology and they were able to make more advanced tools that would make their work easier.
Peasant (Food Supply)
The life of a peasant changed with the seasons. Small animals required slaughtering during the fall as it was not practical to feed animals during the winter. The meat was then preserved in salt. Corn, grain, cabbage, ale, or cider was obtained from the local area.
Peasants (Entertainment)
Peasant entertainment varied between feasts, banquets, jousts, and tournaments. Their entertainment would also consist of mystery plays, fairs, games, and sports. There were also a lot of festivals and holidays. There were festivities on Christmas, Easter, and May Day.