In the countryside on farms, most housewives would toss even trash and food scraps out whatever door or window most convenient at the time into the yard for the livestock to pick over later. ... Most Americans, during this time, lived in families that contained "extra people" like domestic "helps," midwives, farm laborers, widows, or even orphans of a decreased relation. ... On American farms and plantations, horses and oxen hauled loads, pulled plows and turned cider mills and cotton gins. ... Almanacs helped give insight to the mysteries of natural cycles of growth and pr...

• Word Count: 1578
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate