Apprenticeships in Colonial America

[flintriflesmith]

A recent thread had a lot of basically incorrect information about apprenticeships. I have no desire to restart that subject but thought that some of you might want some additional info on how 18th-century apprenticeships worked in America where there were no official guild systems. (I say "offical" because some colonial American city ordances did require that a person show proof that he had served a full apprenticeship before he was allowed to open a business in that city.)

Also--There was no requirement that any time be spent as a journeyman--so a young man, who just completed his apprenticeship and with the needed capital ($$), could immediately open his own business and take on journeymen and apprentices of his own.

If you are interested you can read more here:

http://www.flintriflesmith.com/Writing&Research/WebArticles/apprenticeships.htm

[Ken G]

Good read Gary, Thanks for posting. 
Ken

[Mike R]

I would direct those  interested in the guild process of apprentice-journeyman-master to this university site:     http://www.public.iastate.edu/~gbetcher/373/guilds.htm .  Perhaps colonial gunshops worked a little differently.

[northup87]

This is a hard area to post in, simply because I'm sure these regulations if evident at all in most areas, would have varied almost as much as styles from area to area.... I think as listed before that capitol was probably the more important issue... A journeying riflesmith of the day wouldnt waste his lifes earnings on land, shop, supplies, and equitment on something he was incapable of doing..  people didnt strive for bailouts then....

[Tim Crosby]

 Thanks for taking us below the surface. As usual for, me anyway, it raises more questions.

 Tim C.