The American Family-- Part 1

From Sept. 13, 2010 Time Magazine "Brief History: The American Family.

The economy of the United States has always had an impact on the American family.

The most recent downturn starting in 2008 has seen a drop in marriage and birth rates. And this number comes after the record 4.3 million births in 2007.

The American family of the 1700s was fairly egalitarian with both husband and wife working the farm and large numbers of children were needed to help. The Industrial Revolution of the 1800s started a movement to cities and work at home became separated from away. Children became economic burdens rather than contributors. Wages began rising and the idea of the man as the breadwinner took off.

In the 1930s, the Great Depression triggered a drop in the birthrate which picked again with the onset of World War II. The long period of postwar prosperity resulted in the baby-boom generation where the 1950s were defined by the 9-to-5 fathers and stay-at-home moms.

The feminist movement of the 60s and 70s pushed more women into the workplace and led to an increase in dual-income families.

More to Come. --Cooter