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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. The rules of dating were rooted in the idea of man as what, according to the author in the Introduction?

2. Beth Bailey notes that contemporary women are sexually objectified based upon what in Chapter 3, "The Worth of a Date"?

3. The protocol for going steady was strict and often involved what, according to the author in Chapter 2, "The Economy of Dating”?

4. According to the author in the Introduction, courtship was transformed as youth were freed from what?

5. What word from Chapter 3, "The Worth of a Date” means to make larger?

Short Essay Questions

1. At what settings did the system of dating originate? How did this system spread?

2. What time period does From Front Porch to Back Seat focus on? What is the central focus of the book?

3. When did the term “dating” first enter the American vocabulary? From whom did this term originate?

4. How does the author describe the process of a young woman’s coming of age in accepting callers in Chapter 1, "Calling Cards and Money"?

5. Why was sexual intimacy criticized as a means of human connection, according to the author in the Introduction?

6. How does the author describe the costs of courtship in the early days of the dating system? What “special dates” could incur even greater costs?

7. How did American men view their coeds on college campuses after returning from World War II?

8. How did marriage change in the 1950s and 1960s? How was marriage related to consumption?

9. What demographic emerged in the late nineteenth century? What impact did this group have on the systems of courtship?

10. How did competition on the dance floor evolve after World War II?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the emergence of the “large-breasted woman” as an American ideal of beauty and worth. When did this ideal originate? Who and what were responsible for this emerging ideal? Are large-breasted women still idealized? How related are breasts with the concept of sexuality in the media?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the etiquette of dating and going steady during the 1950s. What tokens were exchanged to symbolize commitment in couples at this time? How important were these tokens? What role did sexual behavior play in this system?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the emergence of school proms and the etiquette and culture surrounding them. When did these formal dances first originate? How were they supervised? When and why did the traditions of corsages and boutonnières appear? What costs were associated with early proms?

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