How people of different classes lived in Moscow of the 17th century?
( Как жили люди разных сословий в Москве XVII века?)
Nobles
Citizens of the upper class. They could not work anywhere, but rarely used it. Men served in the army, state, or court. Women participated in court life, but in Moscow, away from the capital, they did not have such an opportunity.In the afternoon, nobles walked through parks or streets in nifty outfits. Then the path lay with relatives for tea. Family gatherings were not so much entertainment as a necessity: they were supposed to maintain family ties according to secular etiquette.
Merchants
The standard of living of city merchants was different. Unlike artisans who traded only items of their production, merchants took advantage and could sell a wide variety of goods: from delicate (underwear and perfumes) to colonial (tea, coffee and spices).Noisy street fairs, puppet theater, comedies and buffoon performances - these were the main merchant entertainment.
Broadcast
A new type of urban inhabitants. Former residents of craft settlements are gradually becoming wage laborers. Instead of engaging in small-scale production, they go to manufactories or to the houses of the nobility for wages.Hiking in taverns and restaurants was beyond their means, but everyone took part in street festivals. From winter entertainments they loved fist fights, one on one or wall to wall. The teams dispersed along the banks of the frozen Moscow River and fought in the middle. The main fights took place on holidays: Nicholas the Winter, Christmas time, Epiphany and Shrovetide.
Many things have changed over the past decades. Same can be said about the life of modern teenagers. Today teens are more independent, have other interests, and are definitely lazier than before.
Computer is the root of most changes in the society. Modern teenagers spend almost all their free time online, playing computer games, chatting with friends, surfing social networks, instead of going out and doing some outdoor activities. If you ask a teenager what the life was like twenty or thirty years ago, he won’t answer, because he doesn’t know. Modern children simply can’t imagine their life without cell phones, tablets and MP3 players. These gadgets have gradually replaced the whole world of childish games and live communication.
Previous generations of teenagers could still be seen in the streets jumping, running around and playing active games. Today, teenagers are mostly seen online. From the one hand, it’s certainly not good. From the other hand, this can be understood. How can children avoid electronic toys if they are everywhere? Other than that, the life of teenagers is not easy. They have a number of problems, which they don’t want to discuss with adults. Chatting with friends, at least they can share with them. Being online, they can also find answers for many urgent questions or problems. Modern teenagers are luckier than other generations for having the freedom of choice and life full of possibilities. It’s a “computer-based” generation. Even their homework is done with the help of computers and the Internet.
