The purpose of this collection is to give you an idea of what life was like during colonial times in America for working members of the middle class by looking at the tools which they used to do their jobs. Members of the middle class during this time were mainly farmers due to the fact that agriculture played a vital role in sustaining the economy prior to industry. However, farmers are not the only profession which make up the middle class, which also includes craftsmen such as watchmakers and blacksmiths (lumenlearning.com).  

My collection begins by touching on one of the most essential professions during this time period as we look at one of the most important tools used by colonial farmers, whose products made up the vast majority of the colonial economy. The Hoe plow was probably the most important tool farmers used as it allowed them to keep their crops weed free and it was also used to prepare the soil upon which the plants would grow (History.org). Additionally, we can also see a gardening saw from the colonial era which was used by farmers at the time to pull weeds and move soil around or to dig small holes (Emuseum.history.org). As we move forward in our collection we can see some of the tools which blacksmiths used. Blacksmiths were a very important part of society during colonial times as blacksmiths were responsible for building many of the tools necessary to succeed in other trades such as nails, and cowbells as well as household items such as pots and pans. To do so blacksmiths used a wide variety of tools including sledgehammers (Typically made of steel and weighed up to 12 pounds), tongs and an anvil, all of which are pictured in the collection (History.org). As we look further into the collection we can see a wide variety of tools which would have been used by many middle class professions, such as a branding iron, which was used to mark one's ownership of something, and a colonial storage jar (Emuseum.history.org). Additionally, we can also see a set of money scales and weights. This was an important tool for working members of the middle class as it provided a way to determine the value of money, something which is important if you have to buy and sell goods as part of your profession (Emuseum.history.org).