The seventeenth century marked the start of England's colonization. In that period, settlers focused mainly on survival and preliminary tasks such as setting up their government. Little time was devoted to establishing a unique culture. However, in the 1700s, with the onset of the Great Awakening, radical religious and ultimately, political, ideologies spread throughout America. Britain’s shift from a feudal system to mercantilism had resounding effects on colonists’ daily lives and behavior. The stable crop production also increased the lifespans of individuals, who then produced a greater number of children, and the shape of the colonial family structure formed. American society during the 1760s was heavily impacted by religion, featured
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The accepted belief was that everyone living in the colonies should be aware of their place, and this was no different in the household. Like slaves and indentured servants, children were supposed to show great respect to their superiors, or their parents. The patriarch of the family topped the miniature hierarchy, so he was supposed to be fair and loving, but firm when need be. It was his responsibility to provide for his wife and children, but that meant that he was the governing figure in the house as well. He was able to “rule” with absolute authority, which sometimes meant that the patriarch was physically abusive. The role of the wife, though inferior to her husband, was vital to the familial structure nonetheless. Not only did she bear typically seven to ten children, but her duties included planting and tending to the family garden, milking cows, preparing meals, and mending clothes. The ideal wife was submissive and faithful to her husband, even if he was cruel and irresponsible, and several colonial women wrote about their struggles, “hoping that through love, kindness, and prayer, their husbands would change their ways” (Wood). Clearly, these archetypes were imprinted deeply in the minds of the colonists, as they tried desperately to perpetuate
The accepted belief was that everyone living in the colonies should be aware of their place, and this was no different in the household. Like slaves and indentured servants, children were supposed to show great respect to their superiors, or their parents. The patriarch of the family topped the miniature hierarchy, so he was supposed to be fair and loving, but firm when need be. It was his responsibility to provide for his wife and children, but that meant that he was the governing figure in the house as well. He was able to “rule” with absolute authority, which sometimes meant that the patriarch was physically abusive. The role of the wife, though inferior to her husband, was vital to the familial structure nonetheless. Not only did she bear typically seven to ten children, but her duties included planting and tending to the family garden, milking cows, preparing meals, and mending clothes. The ideal wife was submissive and faithful to her husband, even if he was cruel and irresponsible, and several colonial women wrote about their struggles, “hoping that through love, kindness, and prayer, their husbands would change their ways” (Wood). Clearly, these archetypes were imprinted deeply in the minds of the colonists, as they tried desperately to perpetuate