Jobs
Listed are some jobs in colonial New England.
- Fishing: Fishermen could catch cod, mackerel, herring, halibut, hake, bass, and sturgeon.
- Logging: The tall, abundant trees in New England were in high demand in Europe.
- Farming: Most farmers planted crops for themselves to survive. They grew corn, pumpkins, rye, squash, and beans. Cash crops, or crops to be sold, were not popular.
- Whaling: Whalers could make decent profits from whaling. Whale oil was valuable in colonial times because it could be used in lamps.
- Merchants: Merchants grew wealthy trading different goods in a trade route called the Triangular Trade. Merchants bought slaves from West Africa in exchange for rum (an alcoholic drink) and sold the slaves to the West Indies for sugar and molasses (a sweetener). The sugar and molasses would then be distilled to make more rum, which would again be sent to West Africa. Boston was a major trade port.
- Tavern owners: For those who were too far from the coast to take advantage of it, then some people opened taverns for hungry and sleepy travelers. Taverns were also used as meetinghouses. Many important decisions were made at taverns.
- Blacksmiths: Blacksmiths were on of the many artisans of New England. Blacksmiths made farming tools, weapons, and anything that is made of metal could be made at the blacksmith's shop.
- Coopers: These artisans made wooden containers. Coopers are famous for making barrels, or casks, which require lots of skill to make.
- Hatters, wig makers, and cobblers: These artisans made headgear and shoes. Hats and wigs showed off people's wealth. Hats were made of beaver fur, wool, cotton, or straw, and there were three different types. Wig makers were busy when court was in session (judges and attorneys were required to have wigs in court). Cobblers made shoes. A pair took 8 to 10 hours to make.
- Chandlers: Chandlers made candles. Since there were no electric lights, people had to purchase candles to light their homes. However, beeswax candles were expensive and berry candles were not cost-effective. Tallow and whale oil candles emitted foul odors.
- Printers: Printers printed anything printed, from books to pamphlets to newspapers. Printers arranged many different blocks of movable type to create one page, which could take 25 hours. Then, they used a press to ink the type and put it on paper.