Daily Life in 18th-Century England

(Hardback, 2nd edition)

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Description

Informative, richly detailed, and entertaining, this book portrays daily life in England in 17001800, embracing all levels of societyfrom the aristocracy to the very poorto describe a nation grappling with modernity. When did Western life begin to strongly resemble our modern world Despite the tremendous evolution of society and technology in the last 50 years, surprisingly, many aspects of life in the 21st century in the United States directly date back to the 18th century across the Atlantic. Daily Life in Eighteenth-Century England covers specific topics that affect nearly everyone living in England in the 18th century: the government (including law and order); race, class, and gender; work and wages; religion; the family; housing; clothing; and food. It also describes aspects of life that were of greater relevance to some than others, such as entertainment, the city of London, the provinces and beyond, travel and tourism, education, health and hygiene, and science and technology. The book conveys what life was like for the common people in England in the years 17001800 through chapters that describe the state of society at the beginning of the century, delineate both change and continuity by the century's end, and identify which segments of society were impacted most by what changesfor example, improvements to roads, a key change in marriage laws, the steam engine, and the booming textile industry. Students and general readers alike will find the content interesting and the additional featuressuch as appendices, a chronology of major events, and tables of information on comparative incomes and costs of representative itemshelpful in research or learning.

Reviews

In this study of daily life, the author does an admirably inclusive job in considering not just the established classes but also the lives of ordinary folk in cities and rural areas and social, religious, and political outsiders. Summing Up: Highly recommended. High school through undergraduate students; general readers. * Choice *
I found Olsen's essays attractively written and highly readable. Her style is crisp and she always manages to hold one's interest. They are packed with detail. . . . [This book] could be widely stocked by libraries. It is a good read and accessible for students on many levels. * Reference Reviews *

Author Bio

Kirstin Olsen is a history educator and an independent scholar in Santa Cruz, CA.