Child Life in Colonial Days

"Child Life in Colonial Days" by Alice Morse Earle is a late 19th Century narrative that illuminates the lives of children in colonial America. Earle addresses the absence of children in historical accounts by focusing on their experiences and functions in society. The book starts by talking about the difficult times that children in the early American colonies faced, especially those who came with the Pilgrims and other early settlers. Earle describes the harsh realities of infant death rates along with the survival difficulties that both children and their families faced in the unfamiliar environments of Puritan New England. Using personal stories, diaries, and illustrations, Earle creates a vivid picture of early childhood in colonial America, with both the joys and hardships.