The Culture and Conduct of Fatherhood in America, 1800 to 1960

Abstract

A firm understanding of fatherhood in the present requires a deep appreciation of fatherhood in the past. To demonstrate what this proposition means, and to illustrate how complex fatherhood can be, I provide an overview of the social reconstruction of fatherhood in America between 1800 and 1960. It was during these 160 years that we see significant transformations in U.S. society and in the social institution of fatherhood-transformations that continue to reverberate today. The history of fatherhood in America also serves as a case study of sorts that brings to the fore the intricate ways that economic and ideological forces shape people's thoughts and behaviors, and helps to convey the difficulties associated with trying to grasp what happened in days gone by.