Enlightenment Era Dbq

Over the course of two centuries European society saw a shift in their views of children and child-care. Before the Enlightenment period children were seen as vile and a nuisance by parents, this was because of high mortality rates. Children would be beaten by parents, cared for by other people than the actual parents, and harmed by negligence of parent. Suddenly when the Enlightenment period saw an expansion of many ideas that focused on having more love towards others and especially children. Along with Enlightenment, new medical practices such as the smallpox vaccine allowed for longer life rates as well as less infant mortality rates in society. Child-rearing practices changed during the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries because of the Enlightenment period and new medical practices, which led to changes in medical care and discipline of children in European society. …show more content…
Before the Enlightenment swaddling was used to keep child from moving and parents ¨laid their limbs right,¨ as to prevent the child from becoming unswaddled (Document 3). Swaddling was considered to be helpful but soon parents became more concerned about the development of their children and wanted to do away with this practice that caused some harm. In some cases swaddling would ¨irritate and wound its tender frame,¨ as well as ¨obstructing the motion of the heart, lungs, and other organs necessary for life¨ (Document 10). Swaddling would eventually become a dated practice allowing for more safe child-rearing practices to help with Children such as warmer baby