Family Life in 17th- and 18th-Century America

August 1, 2006
Gr 10 Up -The religious, economic, educational, and -supportive - functions of American 17th- and 18th-century families are examined in this compendium. A prominent feature is the discussion of the folkways of various ethnic groups that came to this country. In the opening chapter, the authors identify seven major groups (and several smaller ones) that immigrated to British North America and how they helped create a pluralism that is -one of the most important cultural characteristics affecting the history of the United States. - They divide the country into sections and present gripping descriptions of lifestyles, along with statistics. The chapters that follow relate the day-to-day responsibilities and roles played by fathers, mothers, children, and servants and slaves. Excerpts from diaries, journals, letters, etc. are included, and endnotes follow each chapter. New interpretations of previously published studies prompt the authors to question older views of Colonial life, and they frequently use the word -revision. - Average-quality black-and-white photographs and reproductions are scattered throughout. The dense textual layout, the vocabulary, and scholarly references combine to make this book of interest to advanced students with some background knowledge of American Colonial history." -Patricia Ann Owens, Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, IL"

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