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hepople Lesson Plans
A Snapshot of Colonial St. Augustine
Prepared by Ken Abrams, Scituate Middle School, Scituate, RI
Intended Grade: 6th to 8th
Subject Areas: Social Studies and History
Correlation to National Standards:
U.S. History: Era 1 (Three Worlds Meet, Beginnings to 1620)
Comparative characteristics of societies in the Americas, Western Europe, and
Western Africa that increasingly interacted after 1450
How early European exploration and colonization resulted in cultural and
ecological interactions among previously unconnected peoples
Thematic Strands for Social Studies (National Council for the Social Studies):
II Time, Continuity and Change
V. Individuals, Groups and Institutions
1. Using historical inquiry methods, students will gain familiarity with the routines
of daily life experienced by the residents of colonial St. Augustine.
2. Students will develop an appreciation of the various groups that settled
3. Students will acquire an understanding of the varied roles of the individuals
who settled and lived in St. Augustine.
Approximate Time Required: 1-2 class periods
Teacher developed web page, and
Florida Natural History Museum online exhibit located at their website:
Students will study daily life in colonial Spanish St. Augustine. They will examine
primary sources including documents, artifacts, photographs and other resources
in class and online. An emphasis will be placed on the various groups living in
St. Augustine as divided by class, race, gender, etc.
Using these resources, they will answer questions and complete a journal
assignment. In this way, students will gain a better understanding of the ways of
life and social dynamics in colonial St. Augustine.
1. Students will be directed to a teacher developed web site linked from
They will receive a worksheet outlining six major areas of concern with
questions relating to the items.
They will use links on the website to assist in answering the questions.
2. The areas of study and possible questions are listed below:
(A final version of the student worksheet will be posted on the website.)
What country settled St. Augustine?
What different groups of people settled there?
How were people divided into different classes? And, how
did they dress and did their style of dress vary?
Occupations and Social Rank
What types of work were available to the residents?
What tensions existed between individuals and groups?
Did jobs differ based on a person's race, class or gender? Explain.
Who were the slaves and what kind of work did they do?
Who ruled the colony?
How was the local government organized?
What tensions existed between different groups?
How were lower classes treated by the government?
How did the colony defend itself?
Describe the major defense location?
Who were the soldiers and what weapons did they use?
What was the major religion in the colony?
What are some ways they practiced their religion?
What evidence is there of this religion?
Was religious diversity tolerated?
What kinds of things did colonists do when they were not working?
What evidence is there of this?
What means of transportation did they use?
What did children do in colonial St. Augustine?
Note: Additional questions will be available on the student worksheet that will
be available at http://www.mrabrams.com .
In addition to completing the worksheet, students will write a journal entry (length
and other specific expectations to be determined by the teacher) from the
perspective of an English traveler visiting St. Augustine during the Spanish colonial
period. They should be expected to use specific details found at the website.