3. Late Marriage and Nuclear Families Nuclear family was most common in preindustrial Europe Common people married late (late 20’s) Distinguished European society from others in the world Most waited until they could support themselves financially State attempted to control sexual behavior of unmarried adults
4. Work Away From Home Girls and boys learned independence by working away from home as servants, apprentices, laborers Service in another family’s home common for girls Servant girls worked hard, little independence, in danger of sexual exploitation Boys subject to abuse, less vulnerable to sexual harassment Prostitutes faced harsh laws during 16th and 17th centuries
5. Premarital Sex and Community Controls Evidence points to low rate of illegitimate births In rural areas, tight control on premarital sex and adultery Couples general had several children Contraception used mainly by urban population
6. New Patterns of Marriage and Illegitimacy Cottage industry enabled independence earlier for young men and women Young villagers who moved to the city entered into new sexual relationship free of community control Illegitimacy rates rose steadily between 1750-1850
8. Child Care and Nursing Women of lower classes breast fed longer than customary today The well-off hired poor wet nurses Reliance on wet nurses led to high levels of infant mortality In second half of 18th century, harsh criticism rose over wet-nursing
9. Foundlings and Infanticide Rates of infant mortality were high Many children were abandoned after birth Foundling homes created to care for these children Infant mortality rates high in foundling homes Some evidence suggests infanticide was common
10. Attitudes Towards Children Discipline was often severe Enlightenment sparked a new debate about proper childrearing and childhood Conflicting evidence about relationships between parents and children during 18th century
11. Schools and Popular Literature Protestants and Catholics encouraged reading of the Bible Some European governments encouraged primary school for children of commoners Basic literacy rose rapidly between 1600 and 1800 Rise in literacy promoted reading Common people were not cut off from the ideas of the Enlightenment due to rise in literacy
12. Food, Medicine, and New Consumption Habits CH 20: The Changing Life of the People
13. Diets and Nutrition Poor diet consisted of whole grain bread, peas, and vegetables Commoners loved meat and eggs, but did not eat very often Townspeople had a more diverse diet than peasants Rich gorged on meat, sweets, and liquor Diets varied by region Patterns of food consumption changed drastically New foods from Americas improved calorie per acre production and nutrition Corn, squash, tomatoes, potatoes Most remarkable dietary change was consumption of sugar and tea
14. Toward a Consumer Society Consumer goods increased in quantity and variety during 18th century Fashion industry becomes prominent Housing reflected new consumerism Consumer society was concentrated in NW Europe and North America
15. Medical Practitioners During 1700’s included faith healers, pharmacists, physicians, surgeons, and midwives Women became increasingly excluded from medical practice outside of midwifery Few treatments were effective Surgeons made considerable progress in 18th century Conquest of smallpox was greatest medical triumph Experimentation with inoculation against smallpox lead to vaccination with cowpox Effective in preventing disease (Edward Jenner, 1798)
17. The Institutional Church Local parish church remained basic religious unit Played key roles in community life Protestants quickly bureaucratized churches controlled by secular powers Catholic rulers took control of Catholic Church in their domains Growth of state power and weakness of papacy exemplified by Jesuits in 18th century
18. Protestant Revival Pietism sought to revive emotional fervor of early Protestantism Influenced by Pietism, John Wesley (1703-1791) spread Methodism in England
19. Catholic Piety Catholic authorities compromised with local elements and festivity of popular Catholicism Jansenism was Catholic version of Protestant Pietism Was an urban phenomenon Catholic clergy sought to further “purify” popular religious practices Attacks on popular Catholicism varied by region and country
20. Leisure and Recreation Carnival combines religious celebration and popular recreation Towns and cities offered a wide range of amusements Blood sports were popular Division begins between “high culture” and popular culture Elites saw the latter as sin, superstition, disorder, and vulgar
