The Second Turn, 1780-1820
Lesson 13: Dress, Dance, and Games (1780-1820)

Activity 1
A. Dress

1. Distribute sequenced pictures and labels of woman in 19th century clothing, eliciting comments on what students are seeing. Be sure they notice both what she is wearing and how she is standing.
2. Give a brief background talk about the clothing and manners of the turn based on Teacher Background Essay: Early Nineteenth Century Fashion.
3. Instruct students to write their reactions to the pictures and labels. Have them make comparisons to modern-day wear, including comfort, practicality, style and modesty.
4. Distribute pictures of historic dress.
5. Ask students to note the dates of the pictures and place them in chronological order.
6. On the board or on a flip chart page, make a simple matrix, with two columns down and two across. At the top of one vertical column write "before 1800," and on the other write "after 1800." The horizontal columns should be labeled "women" and "men."
7. Have students describe the characteristics of the clothing seen in each picture. Make notes in the appropriate column on the matrix. (Think about hem and sleeve lengths, fit (tight or loose), waistline level, necklines, accessories, the amount of skin showing, overall silhouette.)
8. Discuss the poses in the pictures.
9. Instruct students to write a paragraph describing clothing and postures (choosing a male or female of any age from the period).
10. Ask volunteers to add sketches of clothing to the class timeline for the second turn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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See the "Dress up" activity.

Student notebooks

Images of historic clothing:

• Calico Pocket
• Phelps Mourning Embroidery
• "The Shepherdess of the Alps" Embroidery
• Man's Vest
• Cloth Doll
• John Foster Stearns
• Reticule
• Woman's Shoes
• Man's Shirt
• "Brogan" shoe
• Woman's Cap
• Men's Pumps
• Portrait of Rowland Stebbins
• Portrait of Polly Stebbins
• Jane Marshall Wood
• Bonnet
• Stock (tie)
• Top Hat
• Children's Boots
• Girl's Boots
• Boy in a Skeleton Suit
• Elsa Eager in Calash

Activity 2
B. Games

Teacher Note: Prior to this activity, select the games you would like your students to learn, and assemble any necessary materials. If construction of materials is necessary, decide whether you will do this or ask students to do it as part of the lesson.

1. Tell students that both adults and children played games. Aside from being fun, some games taught values of cooperation, competition, and proper behavior.
2. Select two or more of the games and teach them to the students.
3. Break students into groups, and assign each group one game to play. Rotate, so that each group can try every game.
4. Hold a brief discussion about the games, including whether they teach cooperation, competition, or proper behavior and how they differ or are similar to games today. Would the students play these games with their friends today? Why or why not? Discuss what might have amused children in the early 19th C. as opposed to today.

Homework Assignment for Activity 2:

Have students make up a game, describe the game they made up, write the rules, make or assemble the materials, and be prepared to teach it to others.

Follow-up to Activity 2:

Break the class into small groups and have students teach their games to others.

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"Games at the Second Turn,"

Activity 3
C. Dance

1. Distribute the caricature of the "Dancing Master." Ask for volunteers to assume the postures of the dance master and the children he's teaching. Ask why they were asked do this. What can be learned from this activity?
2. Ask students what is going on in the picture. Discuss what the people are wearing, how they are standing, what they are doing.
3. Distribute the "Rules for Dancing" from 1803.
4. Read through as a class. Use the following questions to guide a discussion about the rules.

• When was this written?
• Was it meant for adults or children?
• How were students supposed to dress, and what were they asked to bring?
• What were students forbidden to bring or do? Why do you think this was the case?
• What kind of music did they feel was appropriate for dancing? Why do you think this was so? Look up the meaning of "hurdy-gurdy" and "tabor". What can these rules tell us about manners and values of the time?
• How are these dance customs different from dance customs today?
• Why do you think these rules were written?
• Why do you think parents sent their children to dancing schools? Why do you think children wanted to go?

Homework for Activity 3:
Ask students to imagine that they are young people from 1800. Have them write a story describing getting dressed and ready for a social gathering, either a dance, or a party where games will be played. Describe the clothing that they are putting on, the activity they will take part in, and how they will behave. They might want to pretend to be worried about possible misbehavior on someone's part, and the consequences.

 

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Dancing Master caricature

"Rules for Dancing" from 1803