Our ancestors must have looked forward to spring with relief and anticipation. After long, dark housebound months with few opportunities for recreation or outdoor activities, their bodies would have welcomed the brilliant sunshine and warmer days. Although the weather does not generally affect our daily work or routines, have you considered the impact the seasons had on the lives of our forebears?
For farmers, the end of winter marked the beginning of spring planting. All were engaged in some aspect of this rite of spring, including children who cared for farm animals, planted or worked in gardens. The physical labor strengthened bodies and working together strengthened families.
The Industrial Revolution sparked a major transition from farming to manufacturing (1790 to the mid-1800’s[1]) and ushered in a new way of life. Families left rural areas and flocked to cities in areas as diverse as North Carolina and Massachusetts, where women and even young children worked in the mills.[2] The longings of children to run and play became more pronounced as the days lengthened and factory windows opened for fresh air. Spring would have lured industrial families from factories into parks for renewal and recreation.
For shopkeepers and merchants such as my maternal grandfather, spring enticed more customers into their stores. My grandfather owned a small restaurant in Hoboken, New Jersey. He saw an upswing in business when the warm weather arrived. Taking a leisurely walk into town on a beautiful day gave people an excuse to eat out and go shopping. Increased business meant increased income – an important factor that directly influenced the lifestyle of the family.
In the “old country,” spring brought indoor living outdoors. Household chores such as baking bread and preparing meals could be done in the sunshine with the companionship of neighbors and relatives. In some rural areas of Greece, entire families left their homes and moved into small huts on the hillsides where shepherds tended flocks of sheep and goats, or farmers tilled their land.
Although spring may not impact our lives as profoundly as it may have our ancestors’, we share a common delight in the passage of winter. When we plant our gardens, relax at a picnic or enjoy an outdoor ball game, we can feel connected to those who came before – knowing that their sense of renewal and awakening mirrors ours.
[1] https://www.ushistory.org/us/22a.asp
[2] Image credit: Flickr, U.S. National Archives’ Local Identifier: 102-LH-249; research.archives.gov/description/523106
TomApril 20, 2015
Thanks for this connection to another time. I often wonder how the fundamental changes of technology and cultural shifts would have made life different. I find myself wondering what life would have been like at a time with the starts were not all but washed out by the lights of our modern cities and how that would have affected our lives. It will be interesting to one day visit with past generations and compare notes on things like spring :)
MarjApril 20, 2015
The Amish farmer pictured is spreading manure, not plowing.