Macie Reed
Dr. Carl Brucker
Introduction to America Literature 2013
June 19, 2012
Marriage in Puritan America
Between
1629 and 1640 an estimated 20,000 Puritans found themselves on American soil
after fleeing from England due to religious persecution (Roe). Puritans felt the Church of England was
the only true church, but was in desperate need of reform (Stuart). They were deep rooted in their faith,
allowing it to have a major impact on most aspects of their life. However, in contrast to general assumptions,
marriage was not mandated by religion in Puritan America, but instead it was
viewed as a civic contract (Vandergriff).
Marriage
in Puritan America was extremely important. 98 percent of men and 94 percent of
women chose to marry (Roe).The small group of people who opted to remain single
were ostracized (Roe). The average
age for men to marry was 26, while women typically married at 23 (Roe). The marriages, on average, lasted about
12 years due to a high mortality rate (Vandergriff). After
the death of a spouse, most Puritans remarried (Vandergriff).
Puritan society was Òorganized around the
unquestioned principle of patriarchyÓ, therefore
fathers had a big hand in choosing partners for the offspring (Vandergriff).
Potential suitors had to gain permission from a girlÕs father before he
could begin courting, or dating, her (Vandergriff). Fathers had the Òlegal right to
determine which men would be allowed to court his daughtersÓ (Vandergriff).
However, marriage was considered a Òfree actÓ, meaning Puritan children
had the right to refuse their parentsÕ choice for them (Vandergriff). Because fathers were able to dictate how
and when their property was distributed among their offspring, children very
rarely acted on the right to refuse and accepted their fathers pick whether it
made them happy or not (Vandergriff).
In
Puritan America, love was not a deciding factor for marriages. Marriage was a business transaction
between a womanÕs father and future husband. Fathers paid a dowry, the amount of
money or property given from a brideÕs family to the man she marries (Gormley). Often
times couples married due to the forthcoming birth of
a child. Almost half of the women
married were already pregnant when saying their vows (Gardner). Once the marriage occurred, women, on
average, gave birth to between six and eight children (Stuart).
Marriages
in Puritan America were a two-way street.
Both the male and female in a relationship had legal rights. Both men and women could petition the
courts for a divorce (Stuart). Divorce was easily obtained if the grounds
included adultery, long absence, or cruelty (Stuart). Women were protected from domestic
violence. Men, if
convicted of abuse, were punished by receiving Òa fine, a lashing, a public
admonition, or supervision by a town-appointed guardianÓ (Stuart).
Men
and women served specific roles within a Puritan marriage. A man was focused on Òthe area of war,
politics, and businessÓ (Stuart).
Women were focused more on the home. They handled Òbasic accounting,
overseeing of servants, child rearing, and sewingÓ (Stuart).
Marriages
in Puritan America were not religious based marriages, but instead on a
practical, logic foundation in which their entire society was set upon.
Works Cited
Gardner,
Andrew. ÒColonial Williamsburg.Ó Courtship,
Sex, and the Single Colonist: The
Official History Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 June 2012. http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/holiday07/court.cfm
Gormley, Myra V. ÒColonial Love
and Marriage.Ó Colonial Love and Marriage.
N.p.,
2004.
Web.
19 June 2012. http://www.genealogymagazine.com/coloandma.html.
Roe, Sue. ÒComing to America: The
Puritans.Ó Coming to America: The
Puritans. N.p., n.d.
Web.
19 June 2012. http://www.genealogytoday.com/columns/recipes/tip13a/html.
Stuart,
S. L. ÒColonial America Marriages.Ó Colonial America Marriages. N.p., n.d.
Web. 19
June
2012. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~knappdb/colonialamericanmarriage.htm.
Vandergriff, Ken ÒThe Vandergriff in America.Ó The Vandergriff in
America.
Campbell University, n.d.
Web. 19 June 2012.
http://web.campbell.edu/faculty/vandergriffk/FamColonial.html.
.