Although called gunsmiths, they rarely labored on guns during colonial times. An important part of the community, the gunsmith most likely focused on other types of metal work, but occasionally assembled firearms. This historical volume chronicles the formative years of the United States through the activities and occupations of its most important community members. It explore the everyday life, responsibilities, social life, and the affect the gunsmith had on the colonial American way of life. Hands-on activities and recipes, sidebars detailing the history and evolution of the profession, and key social studies words are defined in the glossary.