James G. Gibb offers a unique study of 17th century English North American attitudes toward the acquisition and use of wealth. He analyzes domestic sites excavated in Maryland and Virginia to interpret patterns in the construction of household identities and places these patterns within the social and cultural context of the region. His work includes a new critical approach that underscores the role of conscious individual action in history and the importance of material culture in the construction of identities.

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Introduction. Consumer Behavior Therapy in Historical Archaeology. Modeling the Consumer Behavior of the Colonists. Wealth, Property, Land and Labor. Maryland in the 17th Century. Land and Settlement Patterning in the Pursuit of Wealth. Environment and History of William Stephens' Land. Compton, 1650s1660s. Patuxent Point, 1660s1670s. Material Variability along the Shores of the Chesapeake. Consumer Behavior in 17th Century English America. Index.