SOC 350 Exam 1 Key Concepts Chapter 2

Four Historical Trends

• Most people today live much longer than people did in the past. • People today have fewer children than people did in the past. • Family members perform fewer functional tasks at home. • Families have become more diverse in recent decades.

Beginning in the 1960s, why did family patterns depart so dramatically from the 1950s ideal?

a. market forces more than ever challenged some of the core functional tasks of modern families. with the growth of modern services and technology, much of the work that housewives did was taken over by paid service workers or machines. women's employment moved them from the home to the market. b. state forces. a combination of pension and welfare programs offered the opportunity for more people to structure their lives independently c. Market forces in the twentieth century allowed women to work outside the home in greater numbers than ever before, just as market forces in the nineteenth century had done for men. d. Labor previously performed in the home was now being done outside the home in the workplace by more women. e. For the first time in history, the majority of women's work was done as part of the paid labor force (Thistle 2006). f. State forces promoted family diversity with programs that allowed more family choices. g. Marriage became less of a necessity.

Compare the relationship between men, women and children in American Indian families, Colonial American families and enslaved African families prior to 1820

a. American Indian: i. strong respect for elders, reliance on extended family networks for sharing resources and meeting essential needs, family connections were the basic building blocks of social structure, matrilineal descent (people were primarily considered descendants of their mothers rather than fathers, most practiced monogamous marriage but their marriage bonds weren't as strong as other relationships and divorce was more common than among Europeans, gender division of labor b. Colonial American: i. marriage was a practical arrangement that was considered necessary for civilization, not a source of love and affection, as with the relationship between God and man under Protestant doctrine, the idea of free choice in marriage only served to reinforce the wife's duty to serve the husband, the system of marriage that prevailed in colonial times was supported by the Christian Church and by the power vested in local community leaders, who imposed their interpretation of Christian doctrine on marriage and divorce, coverture: a legal doctrine that lasted until the late 19th century, under which wives were incorporated into their husbands' citizenship, families were large, children played an economic role in the family, bonds b/t family members were much less sentimental than they are now c. Enslaved African American: i. families enslaved, marriage was nearly universal among African Americans by 1900, the concept of marriage remained significant under slavery: traditions from West Africa, the importance of the family, and slave masters promoted marriage and families for their own advantages

What are prehistoric origins of family life?

a. Colonial America (before 1820) i. Two historical periods before the emergence of the modern family: the Colonial period, before 1820, and the early modern period of the nineteenth century ii. American history is primarily the story of three interrelated groups: American Indians, White Europeans, and African Americans. iii. Precolonial traditions of the many and varied indigenous American tribal groups are difficult to generalize. iv. In many (but not all), there was a strong respect for elders and a reliance on family networks for sharing resources and meeting essential needs, and the family was the basis of social structure. v. Common (but not universal) characteristics that differentiated indigenous Americans from Europeans included matrilineal descent, more gender equality, and higher rates of divorce. vi. Common traits shared with Europeans included monogamous marriage, a gender division of labor, and more political power afforded to men. vii. Colonial Americans brought many traditions from Europe. viii. Marriage was a necessary, practical arrangement, not a source of love or affection. ix. Marriage was viewed as a stabilizing influence on men and important to maintain civility and social structure. x. Even though "mail-order brides" were common, the ideas of free will and choice were becoming increasingly important in marriage arrangements. xi. Protestant doctrine, reinforced by the government, gave husbands authority over their wives. xii. A system of marriage supported by the Christian (Protestant) Church xiii. Gave power to local community leaders, who imposed their interpretation of Christian doctrine on marriage and divorce xiv. Women could not vote, hold political office, serve on juries, or have a legal existence separate from their husbands. xv. Women were incorporated into their husbands' citizenship under the doctrine of coverture. xvi. Women bound to comply with the marriage system xvii. Women's survival depended on conformity. xviii. Colonial American families were large. xix. The average woman bore seven children. xx. High infant mortality rate xxi. Children contributed to the economy and survival of the family. xxii. The idea of childhood as a uniquely innocent stage of life was not common. xxiii. Children's evil impulses needed to be controlled through discipline and work. xxiv. Parents (even wealthy ones) did not spend much time with their children. xxv. Family bonds were less sentimental than they are now. xxvi. Even with the birth of many children per couple, living in extended families arrangements was not common. xxvii. Households mostly consisted of nuclear family units plus boarders and servants. xxviii. Extended families did have an important support role. xxix. Most people lived close to siblings' families and shared labor and other resources. xxx. Among extended families, stem families were created. xxxi. Typically, the eldest son would inherit the family home and remain in the home with his parents. xxxii. Common among farm families and those with enough wealth to provide an inheritance xxxiii. Colonial family life represented the first phase of transition to the modern family. xxxiv. Forcible removal of Africans from their homeland; the first arrival of African slaves in America was in Jamestown in 1619 and continued until the mid-1800s xxxv. Disruption of many different cultural groups with many different languages, traditions, and kinship networks xxxvi. Family life of African Americans was affected by the slave system. xxxvii. Difficult to determine how much slave family life was a reflection of African heritage and how much was adaptation to American conditions and treatment xxxviii. Keeping a family together was difficult. xxxix. Recognition of family lineages difficult because of lack of family names xl. But most slaves lived in families for some or all of their lives. xli. Most slaves married (not always legally) and most children lived with both parents. xlii. On large plantations, larger groups of slaves could create protection through communities and family life. xliii. However, most African Americans were excluded from emerging modern family practices until after the end of the slave system. b. The Emerging Modern Family (1820-1900) i. This period represents the second phase of the transition to the modern family. ii. The spread of democracy and industrial capitalism, and the growth of the market contributed to the decline of patriarchal power and authority in the colonial family. iii. The changes to the family at this time created a new family structure consisting of the husband as breadwinner and the wife as homemaker. iv. This is the family we now think of as "traditional." v. The ideal of the man as breadwinner became a powerful symbol in American culture. vi. Men and women began to think of themselves as individuals with personal freedoms and rights. vii. Political democracy encouraged the idea of individual free choice in marriage. viii. Conservative backlash feared women's growing freedoms threatened the (traditional) family. ix. As a compromise, male authority began to be replaced by the ideology of men as "protectors." x. Women were still considered free, but their role was to love, care for, and nurture their husbands. xi. These emerging gender roles came to be known as the separate spheres. xii. The political and economic functions of marriage began to erode. xiii. Companionship, love, and affection started to become important considerations for marriage partners. xiv. Youth began to consider love and affection when seeking a spouse. xv. The practice of courtship emerged as a compromise between parents' and young couples' conflicting ideas concerning the selection of marriage partners. xvi. Young couples initiated courtship, which involved supervised contact in public. xvii. The system offered some elements of free choice but also included parental authority and approval. xviii. There was a decline in the number of children per family in the nineteenth century, even as the infant mortality rate was decreasing. xix. Fewer children per family and the increasing survival rate for children changed child-rearing practices. xx. Children's individuality emerged as a valued ideal and emotional bonds between parents and children strengthened. xxi. A more tender form of parenting developed as men increasingly worked outside the home and women stayed home to take care of children. xxii. Children began to be seen as innocent and requiring nurturing. xxiii. Harsh discipline began to be replaced with reason and persuasion. xxiv. In the nineteenth century, the market and the state emerged as dominant features of modern society. xxv. This transformed the family arena. xxvi. The family lost its place as the center of the economy and began to become more regulated by the state. xxvii. The state started providing services that had once been provided within the family.

What factors led to the decline in the number of married couples in the late 20th century?

a. Increase in women's paid work b. Not as strong bonds of tradition or economic pressures to stay together c. Marriage now is a true love relationship, more emotional and less essential d. Increasing equality in the companionate marriage, but still high levels of gender inequality and stratification e. Even though women worked outside the home, the jobs were less prestigious and earned less than jobs for men. f. Marriage still influenced by separate spheres g. The companionate marriage was less bound by tradition and economic factors, so there was more pressure on compatibility between men and women. h. Marriage became elevated to a true love relationship and included expectations of love and affection. i. If a marriage lacked love, divorce became increasingly seen as more logical and acceptable. j. The decline of the traditional nuclear family and the rise of family diversity helped create a new, modern identity. k. By the end of the twentieth century, Americans spent less of their time in marriage than at any other point in history. l. An increased sense of freedom, but also an increased sense of individual security and isolation

How have the relationships between parents and children changed since the 1960s

a. Marriage is becoming more emotional and less essential. b. Changing relationship between parents and children c. Parents having few children d. Interactions between parents and children more emotional and intense e. The period of parenting is also becoming longer, with young adulthood being extended by more years of education. f. People today have many fewer children than people did in the past g. Woman in 1800 bored about 7 h. Fewer than 2 today

Why was there a baby boom in the middle of the 20th century?

a. after WWII when the men came back from the war b. people were now experiencing prosperity and a good economy in contrast to the depression they grew up in so they embraced the prospect of stability and had lots of children c. Many people married, purchased homes, and had an unprecedentedly large number of children. d. Many people turned to the family for fulfillment and stability; they had a large number of children, and thus created a "baby boom" during this time. e. The 1950s have come to be revered as the golden age of the traditional nuclear family. f. But this type of family was an ideal created in the nineteenth century, and it has a very short history. g. For many individuals and families, it has always been more of an ideal than a reality. h. However, the idea of the traditional 1950s family still exists in our cultural imagination and has taken on mythical proportions. i. The dramatic increase in the post-World War II birth rate was attributed to children of the Great Depression of the 1930s finding economic prosperity in the 1950s at the end of the war. j. There were many employment opportunities; a GI Bill, which encouraged (White) home ownership; and a society that was weary after a second world war. k. However, this "boom" did not last long, and the birth rate eventually started dropping again

How was family life disrupted for many African Americans, the Chinese, and Latinos in the 19th century?

a. being without a family was one of many problems that confronted members of America's emerging from slavery, Asian-American immigrant communities, or Mexicans who found their lands annexed within growing U.S. boundaries b. Each group developed its own family arrangements to deal with particular historical challenges. c. African Americans developed strong, extended family networks of caring and cooperation. d. Many Chinese men migrated to work in the mines and build railroads, and lived separately from their families in split households. e. Mexican-American family life included long periods of separation as (many) men traveled around the country for work. f. All minority groups required strong family bonds and extended care relationships to counter horrific historical circumstances g. African Americans - i. marriages were more fragile, partly as a result of the persistent poverty and hardship they suffered, and ended more often in divorce or widowhood. on the other hand, they developed stronger extended family networks h. Chinese Men - i. men came to work in the mines and build the railroads for years and were separated from their spouse and kids. this has been called the split-household family. Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 helped stop this. i. Latinos - i. traveled around the country for work so were also often separated for long periods of time. this experience contributed to familism or a strong orientation toward family needs and obligations

How did married life change during the 19th century?

a. more "traditional": fathers as breadwinners, mothers as homemakers b. the principle of autonomy for the country also applied to individual citizens. as a result, individual free choice in marriage, as in democracy, was an ideal that was widely shared in the early years of the United States c. companionship, affinity, love, and affection all began to grow more important d. practice of courtship emerged: the mate selection process in which couples begin a relationship with supervised contact in public, then proceed to additional dates in the woman's home and then to marriage if the parents approve

How is companionship family different from the patriarchal family? What led to the emergence of the companionship family in the 20th century?

a. the companionship family was characterized by mutual affection, equality, and comradeship of its members b. in a patriarchal family, the man had control over property and authority over all family members. c. the cultural shift toward the companionate marriage and away from parental authority, the economic opportunities for independence provided to men through industrial development, and the political incentives to marry offered by the government increased the motivation and ability of young people to marry d. Companionship family i. companionship family was ideal in 1950s, especially for White, middle-class families. ii. replace patriarchal family iii. There was more equality between husband and wife instead of mere subordination of the wife to the husband. iv. Mutual bonds of affection began to replace patriarchal authority. v. Happiness, individuality, and personal growth began to replace duty and tradition. e. Patriarchal family i. Men in family have power ii. Spread of democracy and industrial capitalism and growth of market contributed to decline of patriarchal power and authority in colonial family iii. Changes at this time created husband breadwinner and wife homemaker