Wabanaki
What is the difference between a wetu and a longhouse?
A wetu is a shelter or a small family. A longhouse could be a shelter or meeting place for several families.
Put these forms of travel in order from long ago to present day.
stage coach, train, plane, automobile, electric trolley, birch bark canoe
birch bark canoe, stage coach, train, electric trolley, automobile, plane
Why did early homes put their chimneys right in the middle of the house instead of on one end?
The heat of the fire could warm the whole house if it was in the middle.
David McGregor, the singing schoolmaster was a very beloved teacher at the Oak Grove Academy in Falmouth. Why did they call it the 'blab' school?
He had students ranging in age from 4-24 years old and they all had different lessons to read and memorize at the same time so from a distance it sounded like blab, blab, blab...
How did the innkeeper know how many people to cook for?
As the stage coach approached, it sounded its horn for the number of passengers that were arriving.
Why did the Wabanaki move to the maple groves in the spring?
To tap the maple trees and make 'makwani' or maple syrup.
The trolleys brought passengers to Underwood Springs. What were some of the things they could do there?
There was a gazebo, a casino and a tea house. Bands played, fresh spring water was sold, and people could enjoy the beach and entertainment.
What are door lights and how did they get their name?
Small windows next to or above the front door. They let in natural light.
Give some examples of what students read in their primers and what tools they might use to write with.
They read the alphabet, spelling words, poems and short stories.They wrote with quills and inkwells, or used chalk and slates.
How did the term 'potluck' come about?
As passengers arrived at the inn, more potatoes and vegetables were added to the pot to make the meal go further. You were lucky and thankful to have a hot meal, so whatever was in the pot, you were lucky to have it. Also called 'luck of the pot'.
How did the Wabanaki women make clothing and baskets?
They sewed clothing out of rawhide and animal skins. They wove baskets out of sweet grasses.
How fast could a team of oxen travel to pull a cart of heavy logs to the mill?
a) 70 miles an hour b) 17 miles an hour
c) 7 miles a day d) 70 miles a day
7 miles a day
Why weren't settlers allowed to build their homes using the king's pines?
The king's pines were the largest trees reserved for sailing masts in his ships.
How do students make their manners when greeting the school master or mistress?
Girls curtsy and boys bow.
A settler brought 7 logs to the mill to be cut into boards. Each log can make 10 boards. How many boards will he have?
7 X 10 = 70 boards
Name some animals that the men hunted during the winter months.
Ducks, deer, bear, geese, moose, turkey, game birds...
Describe what travel was like on a stagecoach long ago. Compare it to traveling by car today.
Bumpy dirt roads or paths, no heat or air conditioning, no springs, pulled by horses, moved slowly, may get stuck in the mud and have to get out and help push.
The Merrill family owned a big, white house at Colley's Corner near the general store and blacksmith's shop. Why was it called the Piano House?
The family enjoyed singing and gathering around the piano but it wouldn’t fit through any of the doors so they had to take out part of the wall of the house to get it in. Then they rebuilt the wall in a bump out shape to have more room inside for the piano.
Give an example of a proverb that students would write in their copybook to practice penmanship.
Many answers accepted.Duty before pleasure. Many hands make light work. A stitch in time saves nine. Don't cry over spilled milk. The early bird catches the worm....
What would a settler bring to the gristmill?
Grain, corn or wheat to be ground into flour or meal.
Name some foods that the Wabanaki fished, collected or gathered during the summer months.
The men fished for whales, porpoises and other large fish.
The women gathered clams, mussels, lobster and other shellfish, berries, and bird eggs.
What is a draw bridge and why was there one on the Presumpscott River?
The sides of a draw bridge raise to open and let tall ships pass through. There were several shipbuilding yards along the Presumpscott River so when a boat was launched, they would raise the bridge for the ships to pass through.
Captain Samuel Noyes had a white cape cod house built on the corner of Falmouth Road. It was built with wooden pegs instead of nails. Why didn't they use nails?
Boats were built with wooden pegs instead of nails because the pegs would swell in the water, keeping the boat tightly sealed. Nails would rust and the boat would leak. Since Captain Samuel Noyes was a sea captain, he wanted his house to be built like a ship would have been built.
Name some of the games that children played during the nooning.
Cat’s Cradle, Duck, Duck, Goose, Farmer in the Dell, London Bridges, Catch, Marbles, Ring Around the Rosie, and Graces
Explain where a mill would have been built and how it got its power to cut wood or grind grain.
Mills were built next to a river and used the power of the moving water from the tides or flowing river. A water wheel would turn and power the saw or grinding stones in the mill.