Learning Stations

Use this guide in tandem with an Alamo history trunk to teach your students about 1830s life. History trunk contents are split into four stations with open-ended questions for students to answer about each category.

1. Clothing
2. Nourishment
3. Tool
4. Luxury Goods

In our modern world, we have easy access to pre-made clothing. Texas in the 1800s, however, was a very different place. Even if settlers had money to pay for clothes, they rarely had access to stores. In fact, clothing became so precious that it was often willed (given at death) to others. These circumstances led to a creative blend of homemade clothing that combined cultures, frontier style, and fashion.

In a time before grocery stores, Texas settlers had to be practical with food, and any food they had needed to be able to last a very long time (common meal items such as pork and corn were dried so they would last). Furthermore, any eating utensils had to be sturdy and/or made with readily available materials such as the bone handles of the fork and knife. Once again, Texians rose to the challenge and adapted to their environment.

Prosperity was not guaranteed in 1800s Texas, in fact, most Texians fought to survive. However, having the correct tools greatly increased your chances in the beautiful but harsh land. Merely having the tools was not enough – hunting, fire building, and shelter creating were necessary skills. Those who came to Texas unprepared soon learned why the land had long remained unsettled.

Perhaps the greatest difference between items owned in 1800s Texas and modern Texas are the luxury items. A simple toothbrush that is easily and cheaply obtained in our time would have been an indulgence for the Texas pioneers. The lack of supplies and stores led to the creation of entertainment items from available materials – such as metal dice shaped from bullets.