Choosing Your Colonial House Choosing Your House

Choosing Your Colonial House

Choosing Your House Hmmm… what house should I buy? v. Think about your character – Are you wealthy? – Where do you live? – What materials are available for building? – How big is your family? v Keep these answers in mind when you learn about the different houses of the 18 th century.

New England Characteristics • Wooden houses • Timber frames covered with wooden boards and shingles

The “Saltbox” Style 1620 -1740 2 1/2 rooms second floor Central chimney Equal number of windows on either side of the door 3 -4 rooms on ground floor Central wooden door

Moreton House Hatfield, Massachusetts

Traditional Saltbox Floor Plan

The Georgian Design 1700 -1780 This style was found in all 13 colonies with various differences Chimneys on the ends Made of both brick and wood This house was built in 1760 by Captain Richard Derby of Salem, MA. Brick was rare in New England; this shows how wealthy of a merchant he was. It was a gift to his son. Symmetrical window design Paneled central door with decorative crown

A Wooden Georgian Can you find the features from the previous page?

Georgian Floor Plan 4 rooms upstairs Second story rooms were mainly used for sleeping and storage 4 rooms downstairs Kitchen 3 rooms downstairs used as work rooms, entertaining rooms, or eating spaces. Central hallway - allows public and private space

The Mid Atlantic States • Mostly stone or brick • Look more like New England houses rather than Southern houses • A lot of Dutch and German influence

Dutch Colonial 1625 -1840 High peaked roof Little or no overhang Usually 1 floor Dutch door: the door has an upper and lower half. Made of brick or field stone 2 rooms

German Colonial 1680 -1800 Central chimney Field stone with wooden framing Similar to the Georgian Style These houses would have been common in rural Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Townhouse Looks like a German Colonial cut in half 2 room house 1 room on each floor This is Betsy Ross’s house the creator of the American Flag

Southern States • Large plantation houses – Farmers had main house, smaller slave houses – Plantations could be miles apart • Usually made of wood, sometimes brick • Wealthy houses had many designs • Poorer houses were very small

Drayton Hall Plantation House Georgian - Palladian Style 4 -5 large rooms on each floor Large, open porch to stay cool in the heat

Drawing of Drayton Hall

First Floor Plan The Grand Staircase This room gives a remarkable first impression for anyone arriving from the Ashley River. The Great Hall This room was the primary welcoming space. Large doors at both ends allow for cross ventilation. Most southern homes did not have a kitchen in the living space in order to keep the heat down.

Second Floor Plan 2 The second floor has four large bedrooms. 1 Upper Great Hall This room was used for entertaining. 4 3

Outside Drayton Hall Guests would have arrived from the Ashley River. Most work houses would have been separate from the main house.

Slave Cabins Very simple 1 room houses

Inside a Slave Cabin

Charleston Courtyard House By changing the alignment of the house, builders were able to fit more houses into the city. Gable end of the house faces the street.

Charleston Courtyard House Side View 1 -2 rooms on the second floor Long piazzas (porches) on every floor 1 room and a kitchen on the first floor.

Street Facing Charleston House

Simple Southern Home Small attic space for sleeping or storage 2 Rooms Central breezeway with a door on both sides of the house

Your Assignment Remember, only buy a house that you can “revere. ” • Choose the style of your house • Draw a picture of it or design a floor plan • On the back of your picture, write a paragraph explaining the decisions you made in planning your house.