The decision to travel to America in hopes of a new life had to be an exciting one. Knowing they would be involved in helping to build a new nation must have been a challenging, yet frightening prospect. Those brave souls who took on the challenge, regardless of their reasons, have to be respected and celebrated today, for they were the backbone of America.

Often with the help of Native Americans, colonial settlers overcame many hardships— from lack of food and shelter to learning new ways of survival. They raised their families in a harsh environment and created a new nation along the way. Rich and poor immigrants from many different countries created a life in a land that offered many opportunities for a better life. This describes Colonial America.

Creative Experiences in Social Studies: Colonial Life is a social-studies unit that offers students a way to study the history of Early America. The original thirteen colonies provide a beginning for that study. Colonial food, shelter, country and city life, crafts and professions, slavery, and technology are topics covered in this book.

Students need to be given the opportunity to discover how strong the founders of our country were. The stories are based upon historical accounts of life in Colonial America. Each story provides the students with a springboard for further research on the topic addressed. Students are also challenged to think through ideas and to develop their own reflections about the information.

Colonial America was an exciting time in history that brought forth many ideas, inventions, and discoveries which are still important to modern-day America.

Download the Table of Contents page here.

Grades 3–5.