Colonial Money - Using Pounds, Shillings, and Pence in Colonial America

Colonial America is fascinating! Add a new layer of interest and excitement to your teaching of the 13 Colonies with this Colonial Money Mini-Unit!

I try to give my students a “deep dive” into the 18th Century and this colonial money resource is the perfect way to give students an inside view of life in Colonial America.

Students will learn so much more than just pounds, shillings, and pence. They will learn about wages, item values, primary source inventories, and more.

The use of a little math is necessary with this resource. Some social studies teachers are scared of math. I totally get it! So, on each page that requires math, an example problem is included. My students understand the process of adding and converting pounds, shillings, and pence fairly quickly and I’m sure your students will too!

Important note! Many 18th Century estate inventories included the monetary value of enslaved individuals owned by the decedent. I DID NOT include any mention of slavery in this resource. If I were creating this resource for high school students, I would include enslaved individuals on the inventories but this resource is tagged for grades 5-6, so I do not feel that a discussion of the value placed on enslaved individuals is appropriate.

Contents:

Teacher Notes

All About Colonial Money Instructional Sheet

Make a Colonial Money Pocket (Printable and Example)

Show me the (Colonial) Money! Activity 1

18th Century Prices for Goods and Services Chart

Show me the (Colonial) Money! Activity 2

18th Century Purchasing Decisions Activity

Make an 18th Century Shopping Plan! Activity

Estate Inventory of Elizabeth Phillips, 1746 Analysis Activity

Estate Inventory of John Butterworth, 1746 Analysis Activity

Answer keys included!

Remember to follow my store to receive new product updates and sales alerts! Just click the "Follow Me" star!

Visit my blog for fabulous resources: Thrive in Grade Five

You'll love these products and units:

Road to Revolution: The Colonies Unite- An Active, Engaging Unit

Colonial America Unit Bundle: New England, Middle, Southern, and Comparisons

U.S. Constitution- A Common Core-Aligned Reading and Social Studies Unit

©2018 Jenifer Bazzit. All rights reserved.

Before I became a teacher-author, I wasn’t familiar with copyright law. You may not have the first clue about copyright and that’s ok! To simplify things, please understand that you have purchased ONE license to use this product in your classroom. This product belongs to me and is copyrighted under my name, so you may not share it freely, email it to coworkers, or upload it to any website, including your school website, district website, blog, or an educational-sharing site. I appreciate your consideration!