THE JOHN ABBOTT II HOUSE MUSEUM VIDEO - Lesson Plan 

Objective: 

The learners will develop the ability to: 

• Recognize and compare life in Early America with life today 

• Be aware of the needs of living, food, clothing and shelter both in early times and today 

• Learn the importance of the John Abbott Il House in the History of Hamilton Township 

Teacher Plan 

• The teacher will prepare and familiarize herself/himself with the teacher's study guide and viewing the video beforehand. 

• The video will be shown to the students with teacher input where needed. 

Student Plan 

• Children will work on a worksheet either individually or in a team of two either during or after the viewing of the video. 

• Meaningful questions will be asked by the teacher at the conclusion of the video, and worksheet answers will be discussed. 

Evaluation 

The children will take a quiz or write a reaction sheet to the video which can be utilized at the discretion of the teacher. 

This program is made possible in part by the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission through funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission and the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders. 

THE JOHN ABBOTT II HOUSE MUSEUM - TEACHER'S GUIDE - Page 1 

The following are important facts/details for each room of the house. 

FIRST FLOOR 1730 KEEPING ROOM OR KITCHEN 

Heart of the house, this room was used for all daily activities of the family, cooking, eating, family life 

Heated by large hearth and fireplace, only heat except for small bedroom in 1730 section of house 

Implements and tools made by a blacksmith 

Opening to the beehive oven where baking was done on back wall of fireplace 

Candles were used for lighting 

Large wool spinning wheel used for making clothing fabric 

Dough box used for making bread dough 

BUTTER ROOM 

Used for washing and preparing food from the outside farm, making butter in churn 

Back entrance to house kitchen garden outside of door 

Storage for outside clothes pegs in walls 

SMALL BEDROOM OR BORNING ROOM 

Had it's own source of heat 

John Abbott was bachelor therefore he probably slept here 

Later used as room for sick child, elderly member of family, or for the birth of children (no hospitals) 

Rope bed with feather or straw tick used as a mattress 

Homemade quilts used for warmth 

LEAN-TO SHED 

Built to protect the beehive oven from weather 

Used for dry wood storage for fireplace and oven 

Storage for farm tools and implements 

This program is made possible in part by the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission through funding from the New 

Jersey Historical Commission and the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders. 

TEACHER'S GUIDE - Page 2 

SECOND FLOOR 1730 LANDING 

Used as a working space for weaving loom for making fabric and small flax wheel for making linen 

SMALL CHILDRN'S ROOM 

Probably a storage room, cold in winter, set up with child's trundle bed, homemade bureau, cradle 

Two or three small children could sleep on trundle bed 

LARGE BEDROOM 

Wooden rope bed with feather or straw ticks as mattress 

Children would sleep there as well, trundle bed and cradle 

Sample quilt on wall 

Rope bed tightener to tighten ropes which would loosen in damp weather 

Bed warmer filled with hot coals to warm beds for sleeping 

No closets, few clothes, chests were used for clothing and bedding storage 

BASEMENT 

Used for root cellar storage for vegetables 

Hanging shelves for food in crocks for protection from insects and kmice 

Native American tools and arrowhead collection found in the area - Moser, Sharp and Dilatush farms 

Tub of broken dishes commemorates the British almost seizing the money from the colony of New Jersey, saved by hiding here in Abbott House. British found the worthless money in the attic.. The signed money was hid in basement and saved from being discovered. 

This program is made possible by the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission through funding from the New Jerssey Historical Commission and the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders. 

THE JOHN ABBOTT II HOUSE MUSEUM - TEACHER'S GUIDE – 1840 - Page 3 

PARLOUR OR LIVING ROOM - FIRST FLOOR 

Used only on special occasions - weddings, funerals, holidays 

Walls papered, painted floors, gas lights or kerosene lamps 

Victorian furniture donated - authentic to era 

Organ donated 

Schoolmaster's desk donated 

Secretary or bookcase donated 

Cupboards on side of fireplace - used for warming blankets 

SECOND FLOOR LANDING 

Antique gaming table 

BEDROOM USED AS COSTUME ROOM 

Collections of wedding dresses, hats, tennis dress, child's bathing suit 

Marble topped dresser donated 

BEDROOM TINDALL ROOM 

Family donated furniture in honor of last owners of house 

Pot bellied stove, only heat upstairs 

This program is made possible in part by the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission through funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission and the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders. 

JOHN ABBOTT II HOUSE VIDEO - STUDENT'S WORKSHEET 

1. Why are there two colors used on the Abbott House doors and windows on the outside? 

2. What was the keeping room used for? 

3. What kind of clothing fabric was made on the large wheel? 

4. What was the oven used for? 

5. What was the shape of the oven in the lean to shed? Box, triangle, beehive. Choose one. 

6. The little bedroom on the first floor was also used for: A sick child An elderly member of the family The birth of a child All of the above 

7. Name one necessary tool in the butter room or workroom. 

8. Who slept in the largest bedroom upstairs? 

9. Who slept in the trundle bed? 

10. An addition was added on the house in 1840.  Who added it and why? 

11. The costume room was a bedroom. What types of clothes are displayed? 

12. The Tindall Bedroom has a pot bellied stove. What was it used for? 

13. In the parlor who first owned the tall case clock? 

14. What was important about the tub of broken dishes in the cellar? 

15. The Native American tools and arrowheads were found on the farm. True or False 

16. The hanging shelves in the cellar were used to protect food. True or False 

17. What was one difference between the 1730 part and the 1840 part of the house that you saw? 

18. What story or object that you saw in the video did you like best? Why? 

This program is made possible in part by the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission through funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission and the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders. 

JOHN ABBOTT II HOUSE MUSEUM VIDEO-EVALUATION 

After reviewing the Student's Worksheet with the children for correct answers, the teacher may choose to select questions from this worksheet and evaluate the children. 

Some of the questions may be answered by writing a paragraph for the answer. Those students who feel secure doing this may choose to write. 

Certain questions may also lend themselves to the student drawing an answer to a question, i.e. their favorite artifact and they may tell why. 

A teacher knows her students best, therefore, these are suggestions for an evaluation of the information. Specific answers, writing a paragraph and/or drawing an answer may all be used. 

This program is made possible in part by the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission through funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission and the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders.