The Changing Roles of the People, 18 th Century Unit V, Chapter 20

Old Patterns of Marriage & the Family The family has evolved over time. People married later –Couples couldn’t marry until they could support themselves –Town councils didn’t want poor marrying poor. Laws were passed. Few church records of illegitimate kids born. –33% of all first born were born shortly after marriage –Implication: People were having pre-marital sex, but pregnancy stepped up the date. –Community members pressured marriage Families had several kids. –Birth control was primitive

New Patterns of Marriage and Illegitimacy , illegitimate births soared More girls having sex, fewer men marrying the girls they got preg. –Cottage industry provided more independence. –Movement to other cities for job opportunities; meet new people (village traditions not there to stop you) –Idealistic women were seduced with promises of marriage. –Men didn’t want financial burden of a wife and kid

Old Views of Children High infant mortality rates Women were not breast-feeding their children –No bonding with child –Low immunity for child –Wet nurses were hired by the wealthy class Breast-fed babies for the mothers Believed bad traits of the wet nurse could be passed to baby. Infanticide –Killing babies –Rolling over- kill baby by squishing them Foundling homes –Baby deposit centers –100,000 babies deposited by the end of the 1700’s –Married couples did this too

Old Attitudes About Children Couples were indifferent to children –Another mouth to feed –All social classes –Why? High death rate; don’t get attached

New Attitudes About Children Enlightenment –Re-think parenting skills –Rousseau encouraged parents to love their kids –Nurse your kid for bonding/health purposes –Dress your kid in comfy clothes

Schools and Education Everyone should be able to read the Bible Growth of literacy among commoners –Not necessarily reading the Enlightenment Wealthy class movement –Read chapter books Christian devotionals Fairy tales, romance, adventure How-to books: agriculture, etc.

Food & Nutrition Wealthy Class (unhealthy) –Ate more quantity than poor –Consumed meat & sugar –Lacked vitamins due to no veggies Poor Class (unhealthy) –Ate bread and veggies –Lacked vitamin A & C due to no meat & dairy –Suffered scurvy due to lack of minerals –Potato came to the rescue; had many vitamins

Medicine Medicine stayed rather primitive –Blood-letting –Purging Surgeons attempted to learn the body –No clean atmosphere –No anesthesia Women –Not allowed to be doctors, surgeons –Mainly midwives & faith healers Some changes: –Ventilation –Small Pox vaccine; developed from Cow Pox; Edward Jenner

Religion Church still influential in Europe Protestant Revival- Pietism –Promoted a “warm” religion –Brotherhood of believers –Christians should lead moral lives –Methodist sect emerges Catholic Piety –Catholic Europe still very devoted –Many community rituals; often pagan –Carnival

Recreation and Leisure Lower classes more verbal than written –Women: sewing clubs –Men: taverns –Fairs and festivals –Blood sports Cock fighting, bull fighting Wealthy class looked down on leisure activities –Class separation in the future

Scurvy