Marriage Arrangement Review1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7.

WORD BANK

Polygyny Endogamy Monogamy Heterogamy Polyandry Exogamy Homogamy

Family & Marriage in the U.S.

Essential Question:What trends have occurred in the U.S.

regarding marriage and divorce?

What is the typical American Family?

We’ve discovered that the definition for family is hard to establish

When we consider the “typical American family,” what do we see?

More similarities than differences—hence, “typical”

Almost like social patterns

What does your ideal family

look like?

You will create a collage that illustrates what the “ideal” or “typical” American family looks like.

Head your collage “My “Typical” American Family”

Using magazine clippings, drawings, etc. create a collage that shows what this ideal is to you…be prepared to share.

American families are:

Nuclear—homes tend to have parents and children

Bilateral—inheritance is passed through both parents to both genders of their children

Democratic—partners share decisions

Monogamous—exclusivity with partners

What is the typical American Family?

Love…American Style

93% of married Americans say love is “very important” in marriage.

83% of unmarried Americans say it is.

In the U.S., love precedes the marriage vows In other countries,

marriages are arranged—love may come later…

What goes into an arranged marriage?

Families find a suitable mate for their children

Criteria includes:Religion, caste, wealth, family reputation, appearance Love is not absent, but not of first considerationEconomic security or career advancement

Arranged marriages are persuaded by cultural conformity

Americans see marriage relationships differently—based on love (for the most part )

Marriage Rates in the U.S. Marriage rate: The number of marriages per year

for every 1,000 members of the population.Marriage rates have fluctuated since the 1940s The marriage rate in the U.S. has peaked 12 times

since 1940

According to the CDC (in 2011)Number of marriages: 2,118,000Marriage rate: 6.8 per 1,000 of total pop.

Breakdown by state

Marriage Rates in the U.S.

Source: CDC

Marriage Rates in the U.S.Think About It…

What does the following graph tell you about social attitudes toward marriage in relationship to age?

Divorce in the U.S.

Divorce rate: the number of divorces per year for every 1,000 members of the population

2009 Divorce rateNumber of divorces: 877,000 Divorce rate: 3.6 per 1,000 total pop. Excludes data for CA, GA, HI, IN, LA, and MN.

2012 divorce rates by state

Divorce in the U.S.

Causes for divorce:Personal or social issues

Age—the older at the time of marriage, the better the odds of success

Lack of respect or flexibility

Divorce in the U.S.

Divorce in the U.S.

Sociologists look for larger forces at workDivorce rates rise during economic prosperity and

drop during economic down turns

“Baby Boomer” generation more likely to divorce than their parents

Social changes leading to financial independence for women mean they are more willing and able to end unhappy marriages

Changing attitudes toward divorce in American society.

Women are not punished, men are not vilified.

Closure Activity: Reflection Questions

Reflect on your collage, today’s discussion, and your own family, and consider the following reflections questions…

ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER, write each of the reflection questions and your responses.

1.Do you think the ideal or typical American family exists?

2.What trends, information, statistics, etc. surprised you? Why?

3.What trends, information, statistics, etc. did not surprised you? Why?

4.Do you think the divorce rate in the U.S. will continue to decline? If yes, why? If no, why not?