virginia: I'm working on a brochure and I need to describe the social life in Virginia, something that we haven't gone over....I'm having NO luck finding anything. Can anyone help? Thank you!||| Still, Americans found entertainment in folk music, conversation, a handful of books, and newspapers. "The Quadrille which originated in 1740 is considered the start of traditional Square dancing."|||Well, George Washington made whiskey and there were often bar-b-ques and parties, etc that lasted for several days. I know this sounds like I am kidding but bar-b-queuing did start in colonial America and these gathering were large and did last several days. Beer, whiskey, cider were drank as well as all manner of foods. Back then, timing of when you ate was much different than now. The wealthy or patrons, generally rose later, road horses and then came in for the breakfast. They may have eaten in mid afternoon like a " Tea" and then ate later at night. Many dinners were the point of the whole night. The lower working class rose earlier and didn't have the same foods of course. They would dance cotillions and have chamber music and "barn raising's" were where most working class people had their large gatherings. There are many recipes of those foods and drinks they had back then and can be found on line.