The Times of Their Lives

by DEETZ, JAMESDEETZ, PATRICIA SCOTT

• ISBN13: 9780385721530
• ISBN10: 0385721536
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2001-10-16
• Publisher: Anchor

Summary

James Deetz, who until his death was a leading expert on the archaeology of Plymouth Colony, and his wife, cultural historian Patricia Scott Deetz, give a realistic and fascinating picture of life in colonial America as they recount, in colorful detail, the true story of Plymouth Colony. The Pilgrims were not the somber, dark-clad historical figures children learn about in school. Nor were they nearly as pious as we've been led to believe: they wore brightly colored clothing, drank heavily, had adulterous affairs, and committed both petty and serious crimes against their neighbors. Using court transcripts, wills, probate listings, rare first-hand accounts, and archeological finds, the Deetzes delve into everyday life in Plymouth Colony, accurately recasting one of the most cherished chapters of American history.

Author Biography

James Deetz died in November 2000. Patricia Scott Deetz is a cultural historian with an M.A. in history from Rhodes University, South Africa. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Table of Contents

Illustrations	vii
Preface	xiii
Acknowledgments	xvii
Partakers of Our Plenty: The Pilgrim Myth	1	(30)
I Will Harry Them Out Of The Land!--The Early Years, 1606-1627	31	(50)
Here Be Witches Too Many: Glimpses of the Social World	81	(50)
In An Uncivil Manner: Sex-Related Crimes, Violence & Death	131	(40)
A Few Things Needful: Houses and Furnishings	171	(40)
Still Standing In The Ground: The Archaeology of Early Plymouth	211	(62)
He Time of Their Lives: Plimoth Plantation	273	(20)
Sources and Notes	293	(61)
Index	354