What was expected of children in the 1700s?
At the age of 12, boys and girls were given
some adult responsibilities. Boys were expected to carry guns
and defend the settlement in times of war against hostile
Indian tribes or the British. They were expected to share the
work of the farm with their fathers and older brothers. Girls
over the age of 12 were considered old enough to marry and
begin a family.
© Illinois State Museum
31-Dec-96
