The American Family

QIUYANG WANG
SOC 001
History
The concept of the American family was imported from the UK and Europe. Although the
original settlers were primarily single men, more family units began immigrating to the US due
to religious persecution and the promise of new economic opportunities.
Divorce was extremely rare so the nuclear family was the norm. However, families generally had
many kids in order to boost economic productivity.
In the 18th century, most women worked with their husbands as most families were agrarian.
This would later change in the 19th century due to industrialization.
Interracial and same sex marriages were banned.
Perceptions of family
Family is considered to be a paramount priority in the US.
Family members highly value each other and their respective roles in the family unit.
However, the US ranks poorly when it comes to family policy law such as family leave and child
care. US law provides for no paid family leave.
The nuclear family is in rapid decline. Only 7% of US families are traditional in that the husband worked
while the wife and kids stay at home.

The number of single parent familes, stepfamilies, and extended families are rapidly increasing. Only
25% of American households have a nuclear family consisting of the original biological parents.

Today, 25% of children are raised in single parent households without a father. 80% of single parent
households are female run.
More blended families
More births outside of marriage
Reasons for these changes
Increasing prevalence of divorce due to reduced stigma and legal challenges. In early American
history, divorce was extremely rare. Now, approximately 31% of marriages end in divorce.
More family planning education and options.
Greater gender equality. 59% of women over 16 work or are actively looking for work. More women
are becoming breadwinners.
More LGBT rights. As a result of the 2015 US Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, same
sex marriages are legal in all US states.
More couples are waiting to get married and have children. Cohabitation has increased tenfold from
1960 to 2005 as couples believe it is cheaper, simpler, and more convenient to not get married.
More interracial marriages.
Reduced religious pressures and laws.
Lower birth rate.
The Modern Family
More working mothers
Stable Features
Nuclear family still remains ideal.
Family continues to be fundamental unit of communities.
Individuals continue to define themselves based on their family.
Improvement
More family friendly policies. In order to improve the family, we need more family leave and
child care friendly laws for workers.
Cheaper child care options.
More family planning education in order to reduce divorce rates and teenage pregnancies.
Provide more family counseling options.
More flexible work schedules for parents.
Main participants
Parents
Children
Grandparents
Other relatives
Comparative advantages
The family institution works better for individuals who belong to a stable, nuclear family.
Individuals who come from poor backgrounds are more likely to be part of single parent or
extended family households.
Children benefit more from traditional family households where one parent stays home or rich
nuclear families that can afford high quality child care.
Works Cited
Fagan, Patrick. The Effects of Divorce on America. The Heritage Foundation. 5 June 2000.
http://www.heritage.org/marriage-and-family/report/the-effects-divorce-america
Hussung, Tricia. The Evolution of American Family Structure. Concordia University. 23 June 2015.
https://online.csp.edu/blog/family-science/the-evolution-of-american-family-structure
Joslin, Courtney. The Evolution of the American Family. Human Rights Magazine. Vol. 36, No. 3.
https://www.americanbar.org/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/human_rights_vol36_20
09/summer2009/the_evolution_of_the_american_family.html
Works Cited
Pew Research Center. The American family today. 17 Dec. 2015.
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/12/17/1-the-american-family-today/
Sanburn, Josh. Brief History: The American Family. Time. 13 Sept 2010.
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2015780,00.html
Schulte, Brigid. The US ranks last in every measure when it comes to family policy, in 10 charts.
The Washington Post. 23 June 2014. https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-
people/wp/2014/06/23/global-view-how-u-s-policies-to-help-working-families-rank-in-the-
world/?utm_term=.e4d2575d2a82
Vespa, Jonathan. Americas Families and Living Arrangement, 2012. US Census Bureau. August
2013. https://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-570.pdf