Celebrate Independence Day with a 1770s Party

Historians love the fact that there are so many cultures and time periods to study, and each one is distinctly different. Party lovers who want to host a celebration with a historical twist should enjoy this fact as well! If you want to have a historical party, consider the 18^th century. It can be difficult to find activities and costumes from this period, so here's a list of pros and cons for planning a 1770s party:

FOOD

Pros: There are some cookbooks that will help you give your party a 1770s theme; stews with different kinds of meats, fresh bread, and cider are some good choices. Some favorite American foods like cakes and pies have never gone out of fashion, so desserts should be fairly easy to authenticate. In particular, there are some kids' historically-themed cookbooks specifically dealing with dishes that are easy to prepare.

Cons: Many people don't have all of the ingredients available that would have been used in the 18^th century. Maybe a few substitutes will work. Your party can be as historically accurate as you like, however; there can be some authentic dishes and some that are more up to date. If there won't be a huge amount of people at the party, feel free to cut the recipes in half when applicable.

MUSIC

Pros: Anyone planning a 1770s party has two options: (1) find someone who can play a period instrument, or (2) find a cassette tape or CD with 18^th century tunes. Choosing songs that aren't particularly 18^th century but were known to exist at that time (like the medieval song Greensleeves) is another thrifty option.

Cons: It's not as easy to find music from the 1700s as it is, from, say, the last fifty years, but with some hard work and diligence it can be done.

COSTUMES

Pros: If the party doesn't need to be *extremely* historically correct (i.e. if the 1770s aspect just covers the entertainment and food) then period clothing isn't necessary. If you happen to belong to a group of friends who all own reproduction clothing from this era, however, good for you!