Strange Tools That Colonial Americans Had To Use To Survive
Keyboards, credit cards, and car keys — in 10 years, all of these technologies will be obsolete. You might think to yourself, "Wait a minute: I use most of these things every day," yet how far are we really removed from the days of beepers and CD players? While it's easy to say we have a grasp on technologies both past and present, when it comes to these centuries-old tools, most modern Americans don't have a clue.
1. Flail
An essential farming tool of colonial times, flails were often no more than two wooden sticks joined by a leather strap. By beating or "threshing" wheat and other grains, flails made removing seeds and husks a breeze.
2. Sundial
These days, most kids can't even read a wall clock — imagine them trying to tell time using this! Of course, sundials did have their drawbacks; on a cloudy day, anyone looking to check the time was out of luck!
3. Whirligig
Before it was normal for toys to be manufactured en masse, children played with whatever they could find around the house. Enter the whirligig. Often a clay button with string threaded through the middle, a child would simply pull on the ends to set the toy whirring and buzzing.
4. Tape Loom
Tape looms were invented to make narrow bands of fabric designed for tying aprons, hats, clothing, bags, suspenders, and so on. They were eventually replaced by none other than zippers!
