American Centuries

Taverns and Their Signs

Author	`Beth Haggerty`
Topic/Subject Area	`Media, Periodicals, Communication; Social Activities, Entertainment, Recreation`
Historical Era	`Revolutionary America, 1763–1783, The New Nation, 1784–1815, National Expansion and Reform, 1816–1860`
Grade Level	`Elementary (K–5), Middle School (6–8)`
Creation Date	`2012`
Last Revision Date	`2024`

Students will understand that taverns played various and important roles in the lives of 18th and 19th century folks.

Inn & Tavern Signs of Connecticut on the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History website

Activate prior knowledge by having students brainstorm a list of the roles taverns played in the lives of 18th and 19th century people.
Ask students to look at the collection items listed in the Materials & Resources section. They should confirm the roles taverns played and add to their list activities that took place in the taverns.
Ask students if they can recall any novels they have read in which taverns played a role. Are there similarities among the novels and information gathered from the American Centuries collection? (Two that my class recently read are Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Half-a-Moon Inn by Paul Fleischman. The teacher could have excerpts from these or other novels ready to share.)
Using the Inn & Tavern Signs of Connecticut exhibit and other resources of your choice, have students look at additional examples of tavern signs.
Using the knowledge gained, have students design a sign advertising a fictitious tavern.
Optional activity: Students could write a skit for a conversation, encounter, or meeting that may have taken place in “their tavern.”