Early American Entertainment

For the first half of the 1600’s, the act of kissing someone on the cheek when meeting had started to decline. Instead of kissing someone on the cheek, people were expected to do what is called “make a leg,” which was to perform a bow like motion and remove one’s hat, depending on the rank of each man. Men would only be able to put his hat back on if the man of the higher status allowed him. The man of lower status would also have to ask permission to speak (Forgeng 50). Men were also not allowed to tell secrets to strangers, look away for someone while they were speaking, meddle in another man’s affairs, could not laugh at their own jokes, and they were required to knock before entering someone’s house (Mortimer 162). Children had much to learn for social adequacy. When children were taught the language of how to talk to people they were also taught the actions they should take while addressing someone. Children were taught that when addressing someone they should use Sir or Madam …show more content…
For dance entertainment, the upper class enjoyed dances that were imported from Italy, Spain, and France. The lower class enjoyed more traditional country dances. For music noblemen and ladies were to never play in public; however could play in private. Games were only allowed to be played by people who made a certain amount of money annually. (Mortimer 337). Wrestling was one of the most popular sports in Elizabethan England. Although wrestling was played in all the classes, the social classes were to never cross over. Wrestling in country towns usually took place on market day and during festivals, usually with a prize to be won. Gentlemen were also allowed to wrestle, but they were to do so only in private (Mortimer 342). For people living in the country, one of the biggest celebrations was the Mayday celebration. This is where they would go into the peasant fields and spend the night and then come back with a Mayday pole (Mortimer