Ellen K. Rothman

Very interesting material presented here portraying the change over time of the manners, customs, and unspoken rules of courtship in the United States. The author presents theories as to why change occurred in particular directions, providing evidence in the form of numerous letters and journal entries by the participants themselves. Some of Ms. Rothman's ideas seem to me to be somewhat conflicting, but this reflects the many different regions and, for the most part, non-specifically differentiated time periods with which she is dealing. I'' be reading it a second time.… (more)

This history of American courtship spans two centuries, from the revolutionary era to the early 1980s. Three main sections cover the years 1770-1840, 1830-1880, and 1870-1920, with an epilogue covering 1920-1980. Within each chronological section, individual chapters are organized thematically. The chronological overlap between sections reflects the gradual, rather than abrupt, changes in courtship and marriage customs.

The book is based on the author's dissertation. Rothman acknowledges historian David Hackett Fischer's constructive criticism of her dissertation and cites his encouragement as a factor in its transformation into this book. Rothman's sources were diaries and letters, both published and unpublished. Their authors were “members of the white, Protestant middle class living in the settled areas of the North,... the kind of people who produced, and whose descendants preserved, personal documents... They were middle-class youths without the disadvantages of the poor or the advantages of the rich.”

The wedding trip is one example of the changing customs described in the book. In the early period covered in the book, newly married couples spent the days following the wedding visiting family and friends. By the middle part of the 19th century, the visiting had been replaced by a wedding trip in which the newlyweds were accompanied by family and friends. By the latter part of the 19th century, the newlyweds went on a wedding trip, or honeymoon, by themselves.

Few of my ancestors fall within the social and geographical parameters covered in the book. The epilogue covering 1920-1980 is the most relevant for my family's history. Even so, this is a useful volume for my family history/genealogy/U.S. history collection. It's more readable than a lot of academic works, and it should capture and hold the attention of non-academics. Readers of 19th century American literature may find it contains useful background information for the portrayal of courtship and marriage in novels.… (more)