History of Brooms
Long before vacuum cleaners appeared, the broom was making a clean sweep of American homes. Early examples left much to be desired, but the broom eventually developed into one of the United States' most indispensable cleaning products, as well as making a homey decoration, taking an integral role in a lovely wedding tradition and providing transportation for Halloween witches and wizards. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Since cooking was done in a large kitchen fireplace in early America, brooms were important for keeping the cooking area clean. Prior to 1797, Americans made their own brooms from tree branches and bushes. Sometimes people attached straw, corn husks or small twigs to some kind of handle, using strong twine, to form a crude round broom, but these creations didn't last very long. Fortunately, a Massachusetts farmer named Levi Dickenson changed the quality of the American broom in 1797, when he made a broom for his wife using the tassels from a particular type of sorghum he was growing.
The Broom Machine
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Word spread of Dickenson's wonderful brooms, but as was the case with all brooms at the time, his too, fell apart rather quickly. This bothered Dickenson, and in 1810, he came up with a foot-treadle machine so he could make better brooms faster. It was also during this year that the sorghum used to make brooms began to be called "broom corn."
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Flat Brooms
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Around the middle of the 1820s, the United Society of Believers (also known as the Shakers) made some changes in the appearance of the broom. Up until this time, brooms were round, with stems woven together up the lower end of the handle. The Shakers bound the broom corn to the handle with wire, flattened the sweeping end with a vise and sewed the broom corn for better durability. This method worked so well that broom makers continue to manufacture them today. The only downside is that the flat broom doesn't do the job as quickly and thoroughly on a smooth surface as a round broom does.
Significance
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Perhaps because the broom has always played such a vital role in American households, its presence continues to manifest itself despite the prevalence of wall-to-wall carpeting and electric sweepers. Not only do people continue to purchase brooms for sweeping, but craft stores offer smaller, more decorative brooms for use in handicrafts, and many couples are choosing to "jump the broom" at their weddings--a traditional African-American custom. Thanks to the popularity of the "Harry Potter" books and movies, the interest in brooms as part of Halloween costuming has been renewed as well.
Fun Fact
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The phrase "flying off the handle" comes from broom lore. When women got frustrated trying to chase their children out of the kitchen so they could get their cooking done, a swat from the broom was usually the last resort, sending the straw end flying across the room.
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