Marriage Arrangement Review WORD BANK Polygyny Endogamy Monogamy Heterogamy Polyandry Exogamy Homogamy

Family & Marriage in the U.S. Essential Question: What trends have occurred in the U.S. regarding marriage and divorce?

What is the typical American Family? We’ve discovered that the definition for family is hard to establish When we consider the “typical American family,” what do we see? More similarities than differences— hence, “typical” Almost like social patterns

What does your ideal family look like? You will create a collage that illustrates what the “ideal” or “typical” American family looks like. Head your collage “My “Typical” American Family” Using magazine clippings, drawings, etc. create a collage that shows what this ideal is to you…be prepared to share.

American families are: Nuclear—homes tend to have parents and children Bilateral—inheritance is passed through both parents to both genders of their children Democratic—partners share decisions Monogamous—exclusivity with partners What is the typical American Family?

Love…American Style 93% of married Americans say love is “very important” in marriage. 83% of unmarried Americans say it is. In the U.S., love precedes the marriage vows In other countries, marriages are arranged—love may come later…

What goes into an arranged marriage? Families find a suitable mate for their children Criteria includes: Religion, caste, wealth, family reputation, appearance Love is not absent, but not of first consideration Economic security or career advancement Arranged marriages are persuaded by cultural conformity Americans see marriage relationships differently—based on love (for the most part )for the most part

Marriage Rates in the U.S. Marriage rate: The number of marriages per year for every 1,000 members of the population. Marriage rates have fluctuated since the 1940s The marriage rate in the U.S. has peaked 12 times since 1940

According to the CDC (in 2011) Number of marriages: 2,118,000 Marriage rate: 6.8 per 1,000 of total pop. Breakdown by state Marriage Rates in the U.S.

Source: CDC

Marriage Rates in the U.S. Think About It… What does the following graph tell you about social attitudes toward marriage in relationship to age?

Divorce in the U.S. Divorce rate: the number of divorces per year for every 1,000 members of the population 2009 Divorce rate Number of divorces: 877,000 Divorce rate: 3.6 per 1,000 total pop. Excludes data for CA, GA, HI, IN, LA, and MN.

2012 divorce rates by state Divorce in the U.S.

Causes for divorce: Personal or social issues Age—the older at the time of marriage, the better the odds of success Lack of respect or flexibility Divorce in the U.S.

Sociologists look for larger forces at work Di vorce rates rise during economic prosperity and drop during economic down turnsdown turns “Baby Boomer” generation more likely to divorce than their parents Social changes leading to financial independence for women mean they are more willing and able to end unhappy marriages Changing attitudes toward divorce in American society. Women are not punished, men are not vilified.

Closure Activity: Reflection Questions Reflect on your collage, today’s discussion, and your own family, and consider the following reflections questions… ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER, write each of the reflection questions and your responses. 1.Do you think the ideal or typical American family exists? 2.What trends, information, statistics, etc. surprised you? Why? 3.What trends, information, statistics, etc. did not surprised you? Why? 4.Do you think the divorce rate in the U.S. will continue to decline? If yes, why? If no, why not?