US Family Structure: Colonial
US Family Structure: Colonial to Domestic Structure The ideals of an American household from the late 18th century to the late 19th century shifts from a colonial to a domestic family. This is partially due to the change in economic and social conditions. European immigrants and middle-class white families conform to the new ideal, while other groups, such as the Native Americans, Mexicans, and African Americans, choose to live in alternative family systems. The dominant class also outwardly expresses their opinions towards these nonconforming groups. The ability of a group to assimilate to the domestic ideal is largely based on the economic and social status of the group. The dominant family system of the late 18th century consists of colonial family ideology. In the late 1700's the primary concept of a family is that of an organic and productive unit in which the father is the head with everyone having a significant and respected role. The perception of colonial family does not include intimate and emotional relationships amongst family members; rather the family is treated as more of a task-oriented functional system responsible for itself as a whole. Sometimes the family is even called its own "little commonw
Industrialization results in a direct effect on the roles and material conditions of individual family members. Traditional Mexican views embraced male dominance and the importance of home and family. their superiority to non-whites) and enter the realm of city politics. Small, one-room houses make it difficult to have "private intimacy" (Bloch). Along with the economic changes, surges in the religious atmosphere also appear. Furthermore, Mexican immigration lead families to areas like Los Angeles where extended Mexican communities exist, which allows for Mexican family ideology to be practiced. However, the colonial man must govern his wife carefully and properly; the ideal family conditions include married couples are chase to one another. Overall, these groups probably wished that whatever economic or social situation that restricted their abilities and options were removed. As the other responsibilities diminish, the role of the wife gradually becomes synonymous with child raising and child care. Along with no desire to assimilate, Mexican families would have trouble economically stabilizing a domestic family. The family is a significant foundation of the late 18th century lifestyle; Historian and Professor John Demose believes families that went "bad" were a threat to the social community. Mexican families often follow circular migration patterns, which makes it difficult to be effected by Americanization. Native Americans may feel tricked and angered.
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Acceptance Essays
