Singing the tunes in this collection will help students understand many of the realities of life during the early years of the United States. From hearth and home to the perils of the sea, and from factory life to Presidential elections, this journal offers a selection of 19 songs to introduce the life and labor of New England people during the years 1790-1840. Most of these songs were part of the New England singing tradition during the era of the Early Republic. Each song in the journal is placed in one of four categories: (1) "The Open Hearth"; (2) "Field, Forest, and Factory"; (3) "Songs of the Sea"; and (4) "Heroism and Democracy." Brief introductions are provided with each song. The journal concludes with extensive commentaries for songs and documentation. (BT)