Notes

June 16, 1721

FAMILY
Some days have past since I've arrived to the colonies. My life in the American colonies (OR COLONIAL AMERICA) has began under the roof of my family's home. I had not known of my distant relatives til now. However, they have welcomed me and they are comfortable with an extra person in the house. I have counted eight children, one aunt, three cousins, two parents, and one grandparent. There's barely enough room to sleep and cook.
The mother of the house, Lucilan, told me of how she had married her husband. Barely in her mid-20s had she been when he proposed. One reason why was because men outnumbered women throughout the colonies, she said.
Around 3 o'clock, news had gotten around that Susan, the neighbor's adopted daughter died. Lucilan had told me that there was a disease spreading around, killing young children and adults. My suspicions led to malaria, which I studied to publish an article about. When I get back to England, I must find that article and read more about the disease that is whispering death to people.

June 27, 1721

FOOD
It's been more than a week since I've seen the rapid rate of death from malaria. But the feast today has gotten my mind off of death. I helped Lucilan and the grandmother make stew. The little girls brought in the gathered apples from last week. Lucilan taught me how to ground the corn in the wooden bowl called mortar. But it took hours to finish smashing. She told me a little story about the ground corn. "It is said that fishermen lost in a fog would know they were close to land when they heard the pounding sound." I didn't question any further for these colony stories were strange.
The grandma chopped up the vegetables and added in some herbs in the stew pot. As well as the meat Lucilan had salted. An interesting fact Lucilan told me was that the meat was to be salted so it wouldn't spoil.
The girls all let the pot of stew simmer till all the boys came back home. Apparently, she lets stew simmer in the fireplace 24 hours a day.

July 12, 1721

LIFE IN CITIES
Morning
The stingy smell of the city has gotten to me. Lucilan says I'll get use to the smell so she invited me to come with her to the markets. I expected maybe ten shops but as we neared, I saw that the streets were lined with stores. People were bustling everyone. Sparks flew out of blacksmith's shops, small screams came from the tailor shop, and barbers snipped at people's hair. Lucilan pulled me out of my gazes and dragged me over to the docks. There, I saw fishermen yelling to buy their fish and farmers selling eggs, cheese, and milk, which Lucilan bought.
I wandered closer to the sea and saw men unloading cargo off a ship. I caught a glimpse of one of the boxes and saw books inside. The covers of the books looked worn-out but still readable. I pulled my hand in to examine one of the books more closely until Lucilan called out my name. I quickly pulled back my hand and rushed over. As I walked, I passed by people who were mingling with each other. Some were eating and drinking and some were just standing. I was able to catch a conversation between two men about a fair coming to town. "Possibly next year."

Afternoon
(An incident had happened today)
I was stirring the stew when Lucilan's husband busted the door. He had yelled of a fire starting some houses down and ran back out. Instinctively, Lucilan rushed out the door as well, gesturing for me to come. As we neared the home, I could smell the burning of wood. Once the house on fire was in sight, I could see men and women aligned in two lines. Lucilan grabbed my arm and pulled me to the lines. She placed me in one line and stood exactly in front of me in the other line. I soon realized that the people were passing buckets, hand and hand. Some were full of water and some were not. The person next to me shoved a bucket full of water in my hands and my instincts told me to give it to the next person. As I did, I looked at the end of the lines and saw that they ended at the fire to the well. I looked across from me and saw Lucilan be given an empty bucket in which she passed it to the next person. We kept on doing this for another twenty minutes til the fire died down. All that was left from the fire was burnt wood. Luckily the whole family got out in time, I had heard.

July 16, 1721

AFRICAN-AMERICANS
It's been a month and I've noticed the color of people. Wandering around the city, I've seen African-Americans working as nurses, blacksmiths, gardeners, and servants. I questioned Lucilan about the African-Americans but she seemed uncomfortable talking about it. So, I went to plan B. I went to talk to the blacksmith at the market, but he was too busy to talk. Saying he had too much work to be done. Then, I went over to the neighbor's gardener. Gladly, the neighbor's agreed for the interview, but with a disgust face. I asked the gardener, Emma, how she lives in her conditions. What she said was interesting.
"It was a nightmare on the ship. There were diseases, my people were dying, and there was tiny space for one person. Despair was killing me... But when I touched this land, I felt a shock of joy. I hadn't known much of my owners, but the work I am given... it's hard work. All my hope of freedom has vanished."

August 3, 1721

RELIGION
I've seen the children read the bible everyday, reciting lines. Now, I have accustomed to the tradition of going to church services. Each Sunday morning the whole town heads to the town meetinghouse to the sound of a horn. From my observations, I've learned that the seats directly in front of the platform where the preacher stands, are given to older, wealthy people. The rest of the town sits in the other rows of wooden benches.
I remember my first Sunday in the colonies. I denied Lucilan's request to come to church. Minutes later, two people knocked on the door and dragged me out of the house. Soon, I was reunited with the family again at church. Lucilan immediately told me that church was mandatory. She had also added that those people who dragged me were Puritans who worshiped their religion, punishing those who went against the true God.
The church services lasted mostly for an hour or two. Once or twice it lasted for five hours. Then, the town would go to their everyday choirs. At midday, we'd go to "noon-houses", as Lucilan put it, near the church to socialize, eat, and warm by the fire. Soon after, we'd return to the church again for the long afternoon sermon.

August 10, 1721

RIGHTS
I asked Lucilan about their government, how it works. She said that all the colonies self-govern themselves. Adding that all citizens has citizen rights. I asked her more, go into details. Her answer was that they had the ability to choose the people who governed their colony. The ones who made the laws and taxes. Her answer sounded like she had a voice in her government, which was what English citizens had. I guessed colonists thought themselves as English citizens.

October 9, 1721

EDUCATION
Today, I contributed some of my money I earned from the months of being here to the public school. From all the church services, the Puritans have convinced me to support the children's education more. I even donated one of my books from England to the school.
I asked the children what they learn in school. Their response was shouting out spelling words, reading the "New England Primer", and writing sums on pieces of bark. I was a bit disappointed in the scarce of supplies. The colonies have been established for almost a year, yet they are stilling running out of supplies.

January 19, 1722

LEISURE
Last week a fair was being built. Today, it is open and the whole family, excluding Lucilan's husband, is going. It was quite (((spectacular)). There were many contests between the colonists. I saw contests like footraces, which the kids played, and wrestling matches. My ears had brought me over to the music in which people were dancing to. Some where smiling, enjoying themselves, while others were giving dead eyes to others.
As an almost whole family, we watched people play wild scrambles. (wild scrambles to see who could win a prize by catching a greased pig or climbing a greased pole. )

March 23, 1722

CRIME
Church bells ring daily through the day. Though they cannot block out what is to be unseen. As of today, I have seen death.
A man, who settled two months ago, was sentenced to death. Everyone came to the "show" when they heard the news. I stood and listened to what had to be said. The man had "denied the true God." ((As the Puritan put it, " He has betrayed God. For that, he must be punished.")) It struck me when those words were spoken. I knew the Puritans were strik, but I couldn't bring myself to believe that they would kill. But I had to. They were tying the sturdy rope around his neck, tightening it so to squeeze the life out. Then, they opened the latch and silence fell through the crowd. I stared at the body dangling, then at the crowd. No one seemed to be showing any affection or emotion. I guessed they are use to death.