Families in Early America

Families in Early America Thursday, February 11, 2010   Introduction: Overview of Families in Early America - no single families - families were large, but not huge - 6-8 children - women married in early 20's - Nuclear families - grandparents, parents, children - mechanical and reciprocal bonds within families ( no arranged marriages) - patriarchal in structure, but niches for some more independent women (as deputy husbands, in religious groups like Quakers where demographic imbalance makes them more valuable) - families were most important economic unit in Colonial America, and they performed many other functions -integrated with other community institutions and therefore had limited privacy   Discussion: What do the documents from Thinking Through The Past show that childhood was like Puritan New England? - Obedience to their parents and religion in society -Assess whether God has gifted you with "salvation" - parents encouraged kids to receive God - not allowed to be kids, expected to be mature and act like adults at a young age - fear of death is real, think about afterlife at an early age - live a very structured lifestyle, expected to deal with certain situations in certain ways -   What more can we learn about growing up in early 18th century New England from the list of entrants of Harvard College in 1724? - range is 11-20 - all males -lack of lower education -ranked by fathers socioeconomic status   Changes in families in 18th century New England Discussion: What to the series of quantified data suggest was happening? -rates of population growth- steady - rate of child mortality- Massachusetts had much better statistics of death before age 21 (10% death) vs. Sweden/France (50% death) - farm size- number of cultivated acres doesn't change, but overall size decreases - period of fallow (time between crop)- decreases from 7-15 to 1-2 - Abbot Family (1650 only 1 male, 1750 25 male Abbots) - division of estates- decreased significantly overtime -average female marriage age- got married later - premarital conceptions increased from 10%-50%   The emergence of the "Republican Family" - parental authority comes from responsibility in children rather than authority over children - families are getting smaller - families are less places of work than they are sanctities - individuality for family members -father's authority is based on duties (provide and lead) rather than rights - political developments   Discussion: What does the portrait by Ambrose Andrews, Schuyler Family, Show? - reflects what ideal family would be like - concept of individuality (reading/piano playing/ postures) - central focus is on mother, both parents on equal plain - facing each other although not looking at each other - father is connected to the family, relaxed - dog as part of the family   Family life for the "Revolutionary Generation" of slaves in the Chesapeake - families are becoming stronger - larger plantations? more slaves