Homeschool Virtual Programs

Welcome!

We’re so glad that you’ve decided to bring Colonial Williamsburg into your home and your classroom. To begin exploring the 18th century, click on any of the subjects below. You’ll find a number of resources, including videos, blogs, Electronic Field Trips, and conversations with People of the Past.

On the tails of the scientific revolution Virginians were fascinated with new scientific principles that could be observed through simple experiments.  Traveling scientists would sell subscription tickets to lecture series at taverns or coffee houses where they would discuss and demonstrate exciting new ideas.  Join our interpreters as they test natural philosophies from the 18th century, then try your hand at some of these experiments yourself.

Does what you wear matter? In the 18th century it did! Fashion meant different things for different people, and popular fashion changed quickly, but everyone in 18th century society took part in fashion in some way. At its roots, fashion is a means of self-expression, and the clothes you wear send a message to everyone you meet. Peruse the different fashions of the time and decide how you would choose to dress to fit in, to express yourself, and to establish your place in the world.

Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?  In the 18th century you had to decide quickly!  Most children would start their life-long career path around the age of 14.  Many would follow in their parent’s footsteps, either becoming a farmer or working in the family business, but if you wanted to do something different you would want to become an apprentice to learn a new trade.  An apprenticeship was a big decision, so take your time exploring the options before you decide which trade you would be willing to sign an apprentice contract for.

The 18th century was filled with individuals who had their own experiences, opinions, and advice. While we can’t talk directly to anyone from the 18th century today, primary sources like letters, diaries, and even newspapers can help us learn more about people who lived hundreds of years before us, and today our talented Nation Builders are able to use those sources to bring certain historical figures back to life. Join a conversation and learn what life was like for different people in the 18thcentury, as well as the research that goes into bringing the past to life in the present.

Learn more about what education encompassed in the 18th century through the eyes of educator Ann Wager, and contemplate societal differences while studying the Williamsburg Bray School, the first official school for African Americans in Virginia.

Everyone knows that George Washington was the first President of the United States, but he was so much more than that! Meet George Washington, the person, and discover the rest of his life story, as well as what it means to portray someone so famous.

Look into different parts of the 18th century with Gowan Pamphlet, and discover what life was like for an enslaved, ordained, African American Baptist preacher. Let Rev. Gowan Pamphlet share his fascinating history with you, and reflect on what freedom means in all of its forms.