How did it feel to be an American colonist in 1776? Probably itchy, achy and slightly nauseated
Colonists faced indigestion, scurvy and infections, while few doctors relied on bloodletting and other painful treatments, historians said.
- While American colonists in 1776 might resemble people of 2026, their physical experience was markedly different from today. Chronic discomfort defined daily lives due to lack of modern medical understanding and sanitation.
- Healthcare was informal, relying on midwives, bonesetters, and community members rather than professional doctors. European colonists believed humoral balance governed health; Surgeons practiced bloodletting and washed instruments in contaminated water, unaware of germs.
- Chronic bodily states like indigestion, itchy skin, and low-level scurvy were common due to poor diet. Without reliable refrigeration, colonists consumed 'high' meat and sour milk; Ingredients like tobacco ash and alum treated tooth loss and bleeding gums.
- Medical instruments like fleams and tooth keys were heavy, awkward, and imprecise, reflecting colonists' extraordinary tolerance for pain. Ben Franklin wrote, "We are first mov'd by Pain," capturing the era's grim reality of constant discomfort.
- Survivors of childhood often lived to 55 or 60, yet Acute illnesses like smallpox and dysentery remained constant threats throughout life. Many Indigenous women nursed infants for four years, reflecting distinct cultural health practices.
37 Articles
37 Articles
American Colonists in 1776 Lived With Pain Every Day and Their Medical Tools Show How Brutal Life Was
The medical tools of the Revolutionary period help flesh out the picture of what physical well-being felt like for people living in the American colonies 250 years ago.
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How did it feel to be an American colonist in 1776? Probably itchy, achy and slightly nauseated
Life went on in the late 18th century, regardless of your everyday ailments. Archive Photos/Getty ImagesTrade the tricorn hats, bonnets and homespun shirts for flip flops, sneakers and soccer jerseys, and the intrepid revolutionaries of 1776 would have looked a lot like the people of 2026. But their sense of embodiment and experience of health was markedly different from Americans today. It goes deeper than not having aspirin, toothpaste or air …
How did it feel to be an American colonist in 1776? Probably itchy, achy, and slightly nauseated
Katherine Ott, Smithsonian Institution Trade the tricorn hats, bonnets and homespun shirts for flip flops, sneakers and soccer jerseys, and the intrepid revolutionaries of 1776 would have looked a lot like the people of 2026. But their sense of embodiment and experience of health was markedly different from Americans today. Life went on in the late 18th century, regardless of your everyday ailments. Archive Photos/Getty Images It goes deeper tha…
What It Felt Like to Be an American Colonist in 1776
Embed from Getty ImagesWe learn about the American Revolution from the accounts of those who lived through it, but they only wrote about the most important events. What their everyday lives were like got short shrift because it was normal to them. Everyone had aches and pains, itchy skin, and deteriorating food, so there was no use in making a big deal about it.With few doctors and no germ theory, about a third of colonial children died before t…
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