Root cellars were underground storage areas used in the 1830s to preserve crops and food throughout the winter. People stored a variety of items in root cellars like vegetables, fruits and seeds to last until the next growing season. The cool and stable underground temperatures allowed items to be stored for months without refrigeration by protecting them from temperature fluctuations and predators.

1. Root Cellars in the 1830’s

2. What is a root cellar?

3. Why were they needed?

4. What did people store in the root cellar?

5. Did everyone have a root cellar?

6. How large were root cellars?

7. Why do root cellars work so well?

8. How long do things keep in the cellar?

9. Why not just leave crops in the ground?

10. What is used for storage?

11. Where did that sand come from?

12. Why weren’t potatoes stored in sand?

13. How were cabbages stored?

14. When were crops brought into the root cellar?

15. How cold did the root cellar get?

16. What was done about rodents and bugs?

17. Were seeds also stored in the root cellar?