Colonial Food and Farming

Mission Brief #43

🎯 Your mission

Figure out how this changed the world.

⚡ The twist

History is written by the winners — keep asking what's missing.

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Food and farming were essential parts of life in colonial America. Many families grew their own crops, such as corn, beans, and wheat, to feed everyone. They also raised animals like chickens, cows, and pigs for meat and milk. Each season brought different tasks, from planting seeds in the spring to harvesting crops in the fall, and everyone worked together to ensure their survival.

Key facts

Remember these

1Colonial families often grew corn, beans, and wheat.
2Animals like chickens and cows were raised for food.
3Farming tasks changed with the seasons.

Timeline

When it happened

1612
John Rolfe begins growing tobacco in Virginia
1621
Tisquantum (Squanto) shows the Pilgrims how to plant corn
c. 1690
Rice becomes a major crop in South Carolina
1744
Eliza Lucas grows a successful indigo crop in South Carolina

Then & Now

The choices made back then are why the world looks like this now.

Mind = blown

Colonial children often learned their letters from a hornbook: a wooden paddle holding one printed page under a thin, clear layer of animal horn.

Question 1 of 2

What was one of the main crops grown by colonial families?

How sure?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 2

Which animal was commonly raised for milk in colonial times?

How sure?😐 maybe

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🌍 Why this still matters: Every road sign, every flag, every holiday — there's history hiding inside.

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👨‍👩‍👧 At dinner: “What's something from history you wish you could see in person?”

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