1. Structure and Roles of Colonial Families

2. Vocabulary  Nuclear Family: a family unit consisting of parents and their offspring  Patriarchy: when the father is the supreme authority of the family

3. Essential Questions  Why was the nuclear family important for the economic survival of the family?  How were colonial families patriarchal in nature?  What roles did different family members have?

4. Nuclear Families made up the Basic Social and Economic Unit  Household was the center of economic stability for the family  Households had their own gardens and grew most of the food that they needed for the year  Many adult sons would move from their father’s house and build one next door  Puritans typically had many children to help them work on the farms (10-20)  It was common to send children to work as an apprentice for boys or a housekeeper for girls in order to gain more money for the family  If a parent died, remarriage was very quick and common

5. Authority and Obligation Followed Kinship Lines  Patriarchy:  Father/husband was the master of the house  Father/husband led mealtime prayers  Father/husband owned all land and property  Children and wife were considered property of the father/husband  Usually if both parents died, the eldest of the children would become the guardian of the others  Father had to give permission for a daughter to be courted or married and the mate had to be self sufficient

6. Roles of Family Members  Male Children: helped fathers with chores, school, learning of a trade  Female Children: helped mothers with chores, school  Adult Males: took care of the farm animals, planted and harvested crops, chopped firewood, fixed tools, hunted, fished, helped build barns and houses with others, head of household, teach a trade to son or provide the ability for someone else to teach them, managed the servants, Puritan fathers were responsible for the souls of their children  Adult Females: cooked, cleaned cared for children, made clothes for the family, spun and wove wool and linen cloth, dyed wool and cloth, made butter, soap, candles, helped manage the servants

7. Essential Questions  Why was the nuclear family important for the economic survival of the family?  How were colonial families patriarchal in nature?  What roles did different family members have?