tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37589721331585843.post7148417720687197425..comments2024-03-26T11:33:59.219-06:00Comments on Religion in American History: Religion and ToysPaul Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881964303772343114noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37589721331585843.post-39180162299168068832014-02-21T04:04:54.033-07:002014-02-21T04:04:54.033-07:00Really interesting post. Christian bookstores are...Really interesting post. Christian bookstores are chock full of toys and games. But I hadn't thought of the meaning of these as you do here. Had no idea bout the Jewish toys.<br /><br />Now thinking about the Bible board game that Rod and Todd Flanders played on the Simpsons. Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16755286304057000048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37589721331585843.post-8912530831356536002014-02-16T18:22:05.676-07:002014-02-16T18:22:05.676-07:00Thanks Jeremy! I will check out your book!!Thanks Jeremy! I will check out your book!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03262647881365371500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37589721331585843.post-9674566861931326152014-02-16T15:15:56.656-07:002014-02-16T15:15:56.656-07:00This interesting article about modern religiously ...This interesting article about modern religiously tendentious toys starts with an excursion into the seventeenth century, and an illustration of a chair I bought for Plimoth Plantation's collections when I was Chief Curator there (1986-1991). The chair was sold by an antiques dealer in Marshfield who mistakenly thought it might be Welsh, 19th century. Instead, it is a Dutch type from the 17th century - a type seen in various paintings including several by Pieter de Hooch. It is a low chair, in which an infant could sit safely near the hearth where the mother, preparing food, could also feed her child.<br /> The idea that early modern children had few toys is mistaken, even though few may have survived in New England. This is discussed on pp. 404-405 of my book, <i>Strangers and Pilgrims, Travellers and Sojourners - Leiden and the Foundations of Plymouth Plantation</i>. Puritan theologian William Perkins gave attention to defining what games were appropriate and what, not. Games of wit and industry were good. Edmund Morgan pointed out that John Cotton thought that children up to age seven should "spend much time in pastime and play." Pictures from the time show toys. Thousands of medieval and seventeenth-century toys are preserved in Europe, although I think only one is currently identified among the scant archaeological remains in Plymouth Colony - a whistle from the Winslow site in Marshfield, probably part of a combined coral and silver teething toy.<br />Jeremy BangsUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07400715075330658209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37589721331585843.post-2519643932889021322014-02-16T13:33:12.181-07:002014-02-16T13:33:12.181-07:00Laura, what a great post - I'm completely fasc...Laura, what a great post - I'm completely fascinated by these Binyan blocks, and off to find the Calvert book at the library. Between this, and Matt Cressler's post on <a href="http://usreligion.blogspot.com/2013/08/comic-books-and-american-religion.html" rel="nofollow">comic books</a>, RiAH is fueling my excitement about a future project <a href="http://monicalmercado.com/2013/10/09/on-childhood/" rel="nofollow">on childhood</a>.Monica L. Mercadohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00165609014576491077noreply@blogger.com