Family Changes through the Ages by Kate Potenzano

Family Changes through the Ages

Kate Potenzano

Throughout the ages, family sizes and ways to control reproduction have changed. Families became smaller and birth control bec

ame more and more prevalent for protection from unwanted pregnancies and disease. In the colonial American era, families were ruled over by a system of patriarchy, with male dominance (a father figure) and subordination of women (a motherly figure).[1] In this family style estates would be passed on to the father’s eldest son, keeping traditions once again controlled by the men of the household.[2] Males in society even controlled women’s rights, a single woman would be considered femme sole that could sign contracts as well as own properties and wages while married woman lost those rights to their husband becoming femme covert.[3] After the colonial era, there was less and less land to pass out throughout the families. During the 19th century, life expectancy increased and family size decreased. Contrasting to the colonists’ strict Christian views on sex in the family, the Second Great Awakening weakened the idea of predestination. Families no longer had to be a family of 10 or 12 just because ‘God’ wanted.  The movement was largely supported by society because it granted them the freedom to take responsibility for their fate.[4] Contraceptive use increased dramatically, not the most effective methods but never the less they still considered pregnancy prevention.  Birth Control gave couples more control over their family size. However because it was not as effective as methods used today, woman would try to induce their own miscarriages by drinking tea made of rusty nail water or jumping up and down to make the fetus fall out. Due to the lack of funds and land, families couldn’t afford being so large in number. I believe that during this time period it would have been a smarter idea to try to have fewer kids than in the colonial era. 10 to 12 mouthes to feed gets expensive and there is no way that the hygiene would be up to par with a family that large. The average family size in the United States today is two to three children, while in the Victorian times families would be up to 6 people. In the past 200 years families have continued to shrink, which I believe is a smarter economic decision. Humans have very expensive needs; especially in America we tend to spend more money than necessary due to commercialism. Just recently family sized increased by .02 according to a most recent census that may mean change is coming. [5]Will we become families of 12 again by the year 3000? Only time will tell.

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[1] Crystal Moore, “Sex in Colonial America” (PowerPoint lecture, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC January 27, 2014)

[2] Crystal Moore, “Sex in Colonial America” (PowerPoint lecture, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC January 27, 2014)

[3] Crystal Moore, “The transition from Colonial to Victorian Sexuality” (PowerPoint lecture, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC February 10, 2014)

[4] Crystal Moore, “Within the Family” (PowerPoint lecture, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC February 10, 2014)

[5] Nassar , Hayer El. "After 50 years of decline, household size is growing." USA Today, May 5, 2011. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2011-05-04-Census-Households-Demographics_n.htm (accessed February 28, 2014).