Family and kinship in England, 1450-1800 / Will Coster.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Coster, Will, 1963-

Series:

Seminar studies in history

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Families--England--History.

Families.

Kinship.

History.

England.

Kinship--England--History.

Physical Description:

vi, 155 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Harlow, England ; New York : Longman, 2001.

Summary:

"There are many different views as to how the family evolved in early modern England. Designed to stimulate interest in a fascinating and important topic, Family and Kinship in England, 1450-1800 offers an important and timely synthesis of the various arguments and provides answers to the questions they raise. B>" This book gives a clear introduction to many of the intriguing areas of study that this field of history has opened up, including childhood, youth, marriage, sexuality and death. It provides clear signposts to how readers can pursue these and other topics. Through documents and illustrations it allows readers to begin to participate in the understanding of the history of family life which has determined the shape of own experiences of family life in the modern world. Those interested in British history.

Contents:

Part 1 Introduction

Methods and Structures 1

1. Approaching the History of the Family 3

Family or Families? 5

Approaches and Definitions 7

2. Emotional Life 12

Affection 12

Individualism 15

The Rise of the Nuclear Family 17

3. Residence and Reproduction 21

Residence 21

Reproduction 24

The Family and Population 26

4. Life Cycle and Economy 30

Life Course and Life Cycle 30

Resources and Inheritance 33

Economic Roles 35

5. Kinship 39

The Kinship System 39

Relationships with Distant Kin 42

Diversity 44

Part 2 Analysis

the Pattern of Family Life 49

6. Independence and Family Formation 51

The Problem of Youth 51

Service and Apprenticeship 54

Household Formation 56

7. Men and Women 59

The Marriage Rite 59

Sex 62

Married Life 65

8. Parents and Children 68

Having Children 68

Infants 71

Older Children 74

9. Broken Families 77

Widows, Widowers and Orphans 77

Old Age and Disability 80

Death and Burial 82

Part 3 Assessment

Continuity and Change 87

10. The Impact of Ideas on Family Life 89

Humanism 89

The Reformation 91

The Enlightenment 93

Theory and Practice 96

11. Economic Change 98

Proletarianization 98

Proto-industrialisation 101

Urbanisation 103

12. The Family and Kinship in Perspective 107.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 138-150) and index.

ISBN:

0582357179

OCLC:

51681997