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TheChristianfaithinitsvariousforms
wasfoundationaltoearlyAmerican
history.It wasthereason most immigrants
cametotheNewWorld.It framedthe
societalandfamily infrastructureof the
Colonies.It fueledtheGreatAwakening
anditsevangelistic outreach acrossthe
nation andwasresponsiblefor a growing
perception of theUnitedStatesasa
“redeemer nation ...buildingon theidea
of Americansasa‘chosen’people,divinely
ordainedby history tobea light for all
humankind”(Johnson &Johnson,2004).

Valuessuchashardwork,discipline,

anddevotiontofamilygrewoutof the

Christianperspective.Thesesamevalues

werereflectedinthepioneerspiritasthe

countrygrew.Christianethicalparameters

servedassafeguardsduringtheunbridled

expansionof theIndustrialRevolution.The

Biblewasoftenusedasthebasisfor

regulatingthebehaviorandmoralityof the

people.Thelegalframeworkof thisyoung

nationwasbasedonJudeo-Christian

principles,andmostfamiliesreflected

biblicalpatternsintheirunderstandingof

rolesandresponsibilities.

A Christian Perspective

The Changing Face of theAmerican Family: Early History

In this chapter we have seen how

family has remained a vital part of

American culture and society,with no

indication of demise.Theformof family

underwent changes during the eighteenth

and nineteenth centuries,but the

institutionof family remained an integral

part of American society.

Early in the history of this country,the

family was considered a unit of

production responsible for its own

survival.Marriage was often seen as an

economic arrangement.Childhood was

short and children were a commodity

involved in contributing to the needs of

the family.Large families were the norm,

allowing for a greater division of labor.

DuringtheEnlightenmentof the1800s,

theAmericanfamilywasviewedlessasa

publicinstitution,whosefunctionwas

primarilyeconomic,andcametobeseen

asonewhoseprimaryrolewas

psychologicalandideological.Thisushered

inanewandmoredemocraticfamilyform

withtwofeatures:acompanionate

relationshipbetweenspouses,anda

compassionateconcernforchildren.

TheHomesteadActpropelledsettlers

intotheWest,wherethependulumof

familyideologybegantoswingbacktoa

unitofproduction,withitsmorerestrictive

roleexpectations.Bytheendofthe

nineteenthcentury,theAmericanfamily

waspoisedbetweensmall-town,God-

fearingmoralitywhichhonoredthefamily,

andbig-cityinfluenceswhichwascredited

withthepotentialtobreakdownthefamily.

Summary