Major Changes Took Place Within the Family Unit During the Antebellum

question 74

Essay

Major changes took place within the family unit during the antebellum period. Discuss those changes, with specific reference to relations between parents and children, and husbands and wives.

---

Definitions:

Common Law Marriage

A marriage recognized legally, despite there being no formal ceremony, based on the couple living together and presenting themselves as married for a significant period.

Open Marriage

is a form of marriage in which the partners agree that each may engage in relationships with other people, outside their marriage, sexually and/or emotionally.

Menopause

The natural biological process marking the end of a woman's reproductive years, characterized by the cessation of menstrual periods.

Menstrual Irregularities

Variations in the menstrual cycle’s timing, flow, or symptoms that differ from the norm, which can involve heavy bleeding, missed periods, or unpredictable timing.