Consuming Power- Running Barefoot in the Snow?!

While I was reading David Nye's "Consuming Power", I was really interested in the depth of development and specialization that the author took in describing the roles of the settlers and the Native Americans. Beginning with the earliest farming techniques and weaponry that was shared between the two groups, the way that Nye jumped into describing various different objects that needed to be created by hand, and furthermore the ways in which the formation of communities and led to specialization of production really helped to paint the picture of the construction of society.

I laughed when Nye described the role of women in the household, being as frugal as possible, and even indicating that a book about the shamelessness of being frugal was already on it's 10th volume by c. 1865! While I know that these people worked tirelessly to survive, it seems like the product savvy that they needed to possess in order to preserve their resources and get the best value for their trade-ables was stronger than their work ethics!

When Nye refocused his writing to navigating the seas, it was interesting to read that my hometown, Long Island, was an imperative point for water trade and navigation. Those that sailed needed to know the ins and outs of the water, even the underwater terrain and coastal specifics. I found this description to be a bit more advanced than I had expected for the time period and plan to research it more- perhaps a discussion point in class?

Because I am a shoe person, there is no way that I could bypass Nye's depiction of Winters with snow and limited shoes for children. The recreation of children running as fast as they could through the snow and then once inside, wrapping their feet in tanned skins to warm them is awful to even think about. I honestly sat, agape, while reading this because I couldn't even imagine running through the snow barefoot for an inch, yet alone long distances.

Towards the end of the reading, when Nye described apprenticeships as a supportive argument for specialization, I appreciated his addition of Benjamin Franklin signing a contract to apprentice with a family member as a printer. Nye was able to capture the simplicity of the time by depicting Benjamin Franklin, a historical figure for obvious reasons, merely starting out as a young man.