Chapter XIV: The Shaping of American Families Summary and Analysis

The family has always been an important part of American life. Since its beginning, the nation has seen the family change. The role of the woman has transformed from mother and wife to mother and wife and worker. More recently, the woman has become the professional.

1. The Modern Family First Emerges

The American family has evolved from its early years when each member of the family, including children, had to fight the wilderness in order to survive. Most black families from the colonial period through the Civil War were slaves. During the Industrial Revolution beginning in the 19th century when factory workers were in demand, women began to work outside the home. Urbanization brought rural families to the city where, for the first time in their lives, men worked...