Notes on Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children in Puritan Society
The settlers in Virginia were different than the settlers of New England
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in Virginia it was all about private business and individualism
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in Massachusetts there was a feeling of cooperation they all wanted to build a new Zion
- the Puritan named Ann Broadstreet was a poet and talks about love in marriage.
- Puritans believed they should bring up their children properly with moral characters the state had a big role and family obligations
- behavior that was improper and against public morality was illegal
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there was no separation between church and state
essay the godly family of colonial Massachusetts by Steven Mintz and Susan Kellogg
- the Puritans never thought about a family as a private thing separated from a community
- a third of all Puritan houses took in apprentices and servants
- convicts, children of the poor, single men and women and immigrants lived with families so they would behave properly
- almost everyone was related to each other
- distant relatives were still considered close family
- people relied on relatives so that everyone would be honest in business so they married each other so they would be honest not for love
- people married for alliances and economic partnerships
- brothers and sisters and cousins married to keep money in the family
- a few families had control of everything in the church and politically
- seven families are known as the River Gods controlled just about everything
- the household not individuals were fundamental unit of society
- Each family gets 1 vote normally the husband uses it
- Patriarchy is when the father is in charge of everything
- each family member was expected to become a moneymaker
- older kids gardened herded animals spun wool and cared for younger brothers and sisters
- Deputy Husbands are what they called wives
- Wives had 6 kids but less than half lived
- wives raised children sewed and supervised servants paid bills cultivated crops and marketed surplus goods
- you had to read household prayers if you were the head of the house
- the Puritans took care of orphans and sick and elderly
- the Puritans punished people that didn’t follow the moral rules
- tithingmen were appointed to oversee every 10 to 12 houses to make sure married people were happy and parents disciplined their children
- you could be excommunicated from the church but you’re thrown out if you didn’t follow the rules
- if you cheat on your spouse you had to wear the letter a you could be put to death with
- many children died so many generations in one house was usual
- half of all the marriage is ended by death of the spouse after just 17 to 19 years
- command couldn’t marry until they received an inheritance on their father’s death
- Puritans believed in patriarchy which meant the father was in charge of everything
- women couldn’t vote or question the church
- women did have legal rights and protections
- women hardly ever divorced their husbands because it was risky
- they believed affection would come after marriage see didn’t have to love your husband
- a Dowry is when a wife had to bring in half the money of what the husband brought to the marriage
- wives had to be submissive you allowed to be your wife or poison them and you got a fine
- women had generally six children
- most marriages last 24 years people remarried after their spouse dies
- 10% of children died as babies
- 2-year-old children were expected to be good 7-year-old boys wore adult clothing
- as teenagers most children were cared for by adults other than their own parents they are fostered out as servants or apprentices were sent to boarding schools
- many married generally when they were over 25 and very few women married before age 20
- family had a significance that it lacked in Europe the first settlers lived a long time compared to others in England
- marriages lasted far longer than they did in England
- moving to the new world strengthen families
- very few sons moved away from their fathers families in New England were more stable and disciplined and cohesive units then in England