1. Marriage Slideshow
Unit 4

2. History of marriage
Section 4.1

3. Timeline of Marriage in Canada
1867 – The British North American Act grants the Canadian government control (from Britain) over Marriage and Divorce Laws.
1968 – Federal government created the Divorce Act which expanded the reasons permitted for divorce from adultery to include mental or physical cruelty, desertion, separation for three years, or an imprisoned spouse.
2001 – Census records show that mixed marriages had increased by 35% from 10 years earlier.
2005 – July 20th Canada becomes the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.
1880’s Victorian Wedding Photo

4. Christian Influences on Marriage
The Christian concept of marriage has dominated much of Canadian history. Many Canadians have often followed these Western Marriage patterns, which are largely influenced by Christian traditions. Before the founding of Canada the Catholic and Protestant Church had established the idea that marriage was a lifelong commitment between a man and woman. The purpose of the union was for procreation and mutual creation.
Catholics had traditionally viewed marriage as lasting until death.
Protestants accepted divorce and
remarriage in limited circumstances.
The term “marriage” derives from the Latin word mas meaning “male” or “masculine.” The earliest known use of the word in English dates from the thirteenth century.
Interesting Fact:

5. Social Circles and Courtship
Historically speaking many Canadians have traditionally married within their social groups. This frequently meant partners who had similar ethnicities, religion, and economic classes have been important in partner selection.
Courtship: a period during which a couple develop a romantic relationship, especially with a view to marriage. When one individual ‘courts’ another one, they are trying hoping to convince them to marry them, or start a romantic relationship.

6. Courtship
Interesting Fact: Throughout most of history, marriage was not necessarily based on mutual love, but an institution devoted to acquiring in-laws and property and to provide the family additional labor forces (by having children).
Until around the end of the 19th century, family and community had a large amount of control over courtship. Meetings between potential romantic partners were supervised, especially daughters, by family. Many mothers would only admit men they deemed to be suitable into their home. Since the 1880’s courtship regulation become more relaxed as youth gained more independence through youth groups, school, residences, church groups, etc. With the growth of the transportation industry (more cars in production and use) in the 20th century courtship became a much more private affair.

7. The Good Wife Guide
Please read the following excerpt from a Good Housekeeping article, printed in the 1950’s
Interesting Fact: Some scholars trace the word “bride” to the Proto-Indo-European root bru, “to cook, brew, make broth.

8. Assignment: Good Wife Guide
Write a one page response reflecting on this excerpt.
What did you find surprising?
Do you agree with any of the tips listed? Explain why or why not.
How has the woman’s role as “wife” changed over the years? Are there any expectations mentioned in the excerpt that are still evident today. Explain how and why.
Personal reaction/reflection

9. What is marriage?
Section 4.2

10. Marriage
Interesting Fact:
Nero, The Roman Empire, married a man, one of his freedmen and took on the role of bride.
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a socially or ritually recognized union or legal contract between spouses that establishes rights and obligations between them, between them and their children, and between them and their in-laws.

11. Marriage Interview
For this assignment you will interview a married couple that you know (these can be relatives or friends). You can choose to interview the couple together, or separately and compare answers. If possible the interview should be recorded and ed.
Questions you should consider including are:
What is your name? and how long have you and your partner been together?
How would you personally define marriage?
How did you and your partner meet?
Why do you think some people in society today choose to get married, and others don’t?
What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges of marriage?
What is one of the happiest memories that you share with your partner?
When there is tension, how do you and your partner deal with conflict (if any) in your relationship?
What are some tips or advice you would give to a couple about to be married?

12. Marriage and law
Section 4.3

13. Marriage Legal Requirements
Age of consent: 18 years
One can legally marry in Canada as young as 16 as long as they have parental and court consent.
Marriage licence required ($100 non-refundable)
Two witnesses
Couple cannot be related
To get divorced – one year of
legal separation is required first
“reconciliation period”
Interesting Fact:
Marrying younger than age 25 dramatically raises the divorce risk. Also, the divorce risk is higher when the woman is much older than the man, though the reverse isn’t as a strong factor.

14. Common-law Legal Requirements
A common law partner is a person (opposite or same sex) with whom the taxpayer lives in a conjugal relationship, and at least one of the following applies :
the parties have cohabitated with one another throughout the previous 12 months (receive “common law status” after living together for 5 years), or
The couple is parents of a child by birth or adoption
One of the couple has custody and control of the other partner's child (or had custody and control immediately before the child turned 19 years of age) and the child is wholly dependent on that person for support.
Conjugal: of or relating to marriage or to the relationship between two spouses. Which includes the physical, sexual, support (economic), emotional relationship of a married couple.

15. Marriage Legal Benefits
Interesting Fact: A marriage ceremony typically ends with a kiss because in ancient Rome, a kiss was a legal bond that sealed contracts, and marriage was seen as a contract
Marriage Legal Benefits
Official “next of kin” (emergency medical situation)
In litigation (process of taking legal action) → “marital privilege”
Tax benefits: couples elect how they are taxed →can pay taxes separately or jointly.
Divorce: someone cannot leave the relationship on a whim; a supervised divorce (legal dissolution of the marriage) must take place where the best interest of both parties is taken into consideration.
Equalization (if a marriage dissolves) → equal division of assets.

16. Difference Between Common Law and Marriage

17. Marriage vs. Common-law
Common Law and Marriage are very similar in rights.
The two main differences are the division in property and possession of the matrimonial home if the relationship dissolves.
Division of Property
Marriage: property is equally divided with careful consideration of each spouse.
Common Law: A person can make a claim for the property and must go through a trust agreement (costly and difficult to litigate).
Matrimonial Home
Marriage: both spouses have an equal right to the matrimonial home.
Common Law: Neither person has a right to the home → must file a trust agreement.

18. The idea of women taking their husbands name upon marriage is a concept that comes from ancient times, when women were viewed not as people, but as property of their husbands. If a woman takes her husband’s name, her birth surname is now known as her ‘maiden name’ or ‘birth name’.
In Quebec it is illegal for a spouse to take their partners surname (unless they were using prior to 1981). Even if they were married outside of Quebec and moved there, they must use their birth name. Individuals can apply for a name change through civil court, but only serious reasons will be approved (the Quebec government has rarely viewed taking a spouses name as serious).
In some families, now people are choosing to take their spouses surname, while some choose to keep their original name, and others prefer to hyphenate the name, another option is that some people will use name blending, where they combine the two surnames together into a new surname.
Legal Name Change
Some partners, traditionally women will drop their surname, and take on the surname of their partner upon marriage.
Would you keep your surname upon marriage? Change it? Or Hyphenate it? Or Blend it?

19. Political and social sides of marriage
Section 4.4

20. Why do you think some people get married?

21. Benefits of Marriage Combined incomes (more affordable living)
Religious reasons
Raise children
Feeling of security
LOVE
Arranged/cultural reasons
Legal benefits
Interesting Fact:
Compared to singles, married people on average accumulate about four times more savings and assets.

22. Social Benefits of Marriage
married families tend to have better financial health, increased savings, and greater social mobility than unmarried households.
Married couples report greater sexual satisfaction.
Married women report higher levels of physical and psychological health.
Married people tend to experience less depression and fewer problems with alcohol.
Getting married increases the probability of moving into an area with better living conditions.
Marriage is associated with a lower mortality risk.
Children raised in families headed by a married couple have a greater chance of experiencing economic stability, high academic performance, and emotional maturity.
*These are statistics and averages, they do not apply to every married couple*

23. Parts of marriage
Section 4.5

24. 7 Stages of Marriage
Passion: This is often called the honeymoon stage. Where couples feel intense attraction and romantic feeling towards each other that helps them bond as a couple. For many couples this period lasts for about two years.
Realization: This is the stage where the honeymoon ends and couples gain a more realistic perspective of their futures together. It is also the time when they start to realize their partner is human, and has human habits. At this stage couples may feel disappointment and conflicts will arise. This stage will help couples begin to accept each other. This stage lays the groundwork for building a relationship built upon acceptance, respect, and openness to change.
Rebellion: At this stage self-interest (such as career advances, time with friends, travel) overtake the interest of the marriage.
Cooperation: Marriage grow over time and become more complicated. Careers grow, houses get bigger, personal commitments grow, children arrive, etc. Marriage takes on a more business side in order to juggle all of these commitments. Love, emotion, and personal things get set aside, there are mortgages to be paid, and kids to raise.

25. 7 Stages of Marriage (continued)
Reunion: If you have children the cooperation stage can last ten to twenty years, then all of a sudden the children are gone. Your parental commitments have decreased, and your financials are more established, and your career fairly stable. This is the stage where partner find each other again not as parents and providers, but as lovers and friends. This stage can be hard to achieve as each person’s ideas about the roles and expectations of marriages may need to be adapted.
Explosion: You and your spouse are getting older and dealing with major life changing situations (job loss, health problems, moving to a new place, financial trouble, the illness or death of a parent). This stage can happen at any time in the marriage. These events can either make the marriage a source of support or comfort, or put strain upon the relationship.
Completion: At this stage marital happiness rises (usually after several decades of marriage). This stage is sometimes described as an almost childlike love. A belief that that there are still wonderful things ahead.

26. Conflicts of Marriage
Money
Sex

27. Marriage in the media
Section 4.6

28. Marriage and culture
Section 4.7