About Manners in Colonial Times

Elders were treated with respect in colonial times.

In colonial times, much like today, your manners and behavior were an indication of how you were raised. In colonial times, it also made quick work of proving your social class; well-mannered meant well-bred.

History

Because colonial times saw the divergence from the home country (and migration to the colony) there was a heavy emphasis on manners and proving that in a different location (the Americas) the colonists would be just as civilized as true Englishmen, world renowned for their civility and courtesy.

Function

Manners dictated how one would, could and should act within society. There was a different set of rules for when you were young, when you were eligible and when you were married, and a marked difference between male and female. They provided strictures like not being alone while courting, the proper and classy way to treat someone else, and the proper ways to engage in conversation and behave socially.

Types

There are all sorts of examples of mannerisms taught to children from a very young age, like how to behave at a table (don't pick your teeth unless a napkin is covering your mouth), and not to find fault with anything given. George Washington penned a guide to manners and civility, including that, upon entering a room one should offer a sign of respect to all persons present, and when sitting, one's feet should rest firmly and evenly on the ground rather than being crossed or relaxed.

Effects

Unfortunately, one of the effects of the strict behavioral codes of colonial times and the bias that accompanied them (that English colonizers were civilized and the locals were wild and barbaric) led to a problematic us vs. them psychological mentality that contributed to a time of very violent colonization world wide. Many different civilizations were colonized and eventually obliterated by the cultured and "genteel" societies that failed to respect the innate and original sovereignty of the people they found in the countries they traveled to.

Considerations

The difficulty with courtesy and civility is twofold; first, that it can be slightly myopic and while focusing so closely on personal behavior and social interaction, we lose sight of the way we interact with other cultures or social classes; the second is that it is historically so quickly thrown off in favor of living contrary to the binding ties of society. While seeking to live an independent lifestyle in this modern age, we often lose sight of basic principles of respect, kindness and courtesy that parents often fail to pass down.