The Wilton Historical Society is hosting a workshop for kids on colonial bartering on Saturday, Feb. 3 from 11 a.m. to 12 noon.
This fun and educational program that shows that like today, for a variety of reasons, money was almost always in short
supply during the early Colonial period, which forced the colonists to barter. Wampum
was introduced to New England in 1627 by Dutch settlers in New York who traded
with Native Americans. Wampum was made of sea shells, primarily quahog shells, and
proved successful in trading between indigenous peoples and colonists. In 1637, wampum was made legal tender -
accepted as payment for taxes - in Massachusetts.
At this Colonial Bartering Workshop for
Kids at the Wilton Historical Society on Saturday, February 3 from 11:00 –
12:30, Museum Educator Lola Chen will be discussing how bartering and trading
works, and the kinds of items that were exchanged, such as wampum for
wheat. The kids have workshop project – making
wampum beads from recycled paper, and
will help make their own snack.
Suggested for ages 6 – 12. Wilton Historical Society Members
$10 per child, maximum $25 per family; Non-members $15 per child, maximum $35
per family. Please register:
info@wiltonhistorical.org or call 203-762-7257.
Did You Know?
According to PBS’s website Nova, “The earliest known use of
wampum, which are strings of beads made from clam shells, was by North American
Indians in 1535. Most likely, this monetary medium existed well before this
date. The Indian word "wampum" means white, which was the color of
the beads.”
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