Family life in the 18th century

Marriage, children, economic circumstances, and social status were closely linked during the 18th century. Most of the families were what the famous English author Daniel Defoe called “the middle class” or the middle class, a family status that did not exist before the 18th century. During the 17th century, people were either rich and privileged or extremely poor and there was nothing in between. The rise of the middle class began during the 18th century and its impact on the family was enormous.

Women and men of the upper classes did not marry for love. Instead, they married strictly for economic and social reasons. Women who wanted to continue living in a wealthy home simply did not marry a lower or middle class man. A self-respecting gentleman did not even consider marrying a woman from a poor family. It was unlikely that she possessed the social gifts and dowry necessary to marry in such a society. Also, rumors abounded as to why a rich young man would marry such a poor girl. Maybe he had gotten her “in the way of the family” and was willing to do the right thing with her? Such humiliation could never fall on his family.

The middle class, on the other hand, could marry whomever they wanted. It was not sensible for a middle-class woman to marry a poor man, as her children would be raised in poverty, but if her happiness depended on it, her family was unlikely to intervene. There was no need to marry for social status or wealth as the middle class did not possess either.

However, the concept of the middle class remained one of privilege. Until the 18th century, childhood, like the middle class, did not exist. The lower class worked hard for a living and their children were expected to work alongside them. School was a privilege that only the upper class could afford. And well into the eighteenth century, childhood did not yet exist for the lower class.

The Industrial Revolution set in motion incredible changes in 18th century society. The vast majority of the people who worked within the new factories that produced items such as farm equipment, clothing, and toys belonged to the lower class. Not surprisingly, lower-class children also worked inside these factories, earning far less than their parents’ meager wages. The children worked as hard as their parents, often carrying heavy loads of materials or sitting in front of industrial machines for countless hours within the deplorable factory conditions. If the term “sweatshop” had been coined at that time, then it would have described the factories where these lower-class families worked.

However, the middle and upper classes did not set foot inside a factory. Middle-class children began attending school for the first time in history. Only the farmers’ children were absent from school for significant periods to help with planting and harvesting crops during the summer and fall months.

The dominant domestic figure was the father. It was he who determined whether his wife could work outside the home or whether or not his children went to school. He owned all the family’s property and money. Divorce was extremely rare as women leaving their husbands had no viable means of survival. Mothers used to stay at home, maintaining a home and fathering several children. His job was not easy. Mothers cleaned the house, hand-made clothes for their families, cooked, cared for children, tended a garden, and generally tried to please their husbands. The social status of women was far below that of men and they rarely questioned the decisions of their husbands.

However, many middle and upper class families were quite happy during the 18th century. The Industrial Revolution generated enthusiasm for new technologies designed to make life easier. Marriages used to be harmonious, children were treated kindly, and faith in God was extremely important. The inherent goodness of people provided a strong backbone for families and produced a civilized and law-abiding society in which families thrived.