Children in Colonial America

Children in Colonial America is a highly original contribution to the history of childhood. The collections unique strength lies in its great range of regions and peoples represented: from Indian children of Mexico to young Africans in Jamaica, from Separatist Pilgrims in the Netherlands and Plymouth to Catholic girls in Germany, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania. Although ideal for the classroom, these essays offer much that will be of interest to seasoned scholars. ~Gloria L. Main,University of Colorado-Boulder

Few books can be all things to all people, but this one is an exception. ~Kenneth J. Blume

Providing fresh historical perspectives on key features of children's lives, this book offers compelling, new materials on childhood in colonial America, and on groupsincluding Native Americans and Hispanicstoo often left out of conventional coverage. ~Peter Stearns,George Mason University

Marten adds to the growing body of literature on the history of family life with this rich collection of original essays and transcriptions from primary documents. Divided into thematic subdivisions relating to Europeans and Native Americans, issues of family and community, and the process of becoming American, the 12 essays contributed mainly by history academics examine children's lives from the varied cultures found in Colonial North America and contain copious footnotes and a list of suggested further reading. Such topics as parenting practices, health, education, gender roles, and rites of passage are touched on. The small selection of primary documents (excerpts from letters, diaries, and autobiographies) add depth to an already well-written and researched work whose real strength is its juxtaposition of children's lives across a variety of Colonial cultures. ~Library Journal

Brings together a broad range of provocative essays on a diverse cast of children from within and without the British American colonies. ~Journal of Social History

A useful and largely impressive anthology on an under-studied topic. ~PhiloBiblos