Punishment in early American life was often public and quite humiliating to the offender. The Puritans of New England believed what God said, taking their laws directly from the bible. Drunkenness, fornication, and even smoking brought down the gavel as fast as stealing from a neighbor.  Scarlet letters were worn ...

I loved our flashcard tests in third grade when we were learning our multiplication tables, and my favorite test was the Friday spelling test, because I was much better at spelling than I was at some of my other subjects! I always fared well in the spelling bee at school. ...

Prudence—not a common word in today’s culture, yet a word all can live by and see good days. Prudence is caution, the ability to foresee and avoid an evil thing.  It was a word so valued in early American life that is became a popular girl’s name during the 17th ...