Here is the whole beguiling and sometimes surprising story of how Americans lived from the first settlements at Jamestown down to the Revolution. Weaving together countless colorful and intimate details, the author has created a vivid tapestry of everyday life, from a humble New England fireside to an elegant Virginia plantation. Contents I Plantation Life II New England Neighbors III The Dutch and the Quakers IV The Goodwife at Home V "To Provide for the Common Defense" VI Schooldays VII Tradesmen & Craftsmen VIII By Sea & by Land IX High Days & Holidays