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Breaking the bonds : marital discord in Pennsylvania, 1730-1830 / Merril D. Smith

Author
Smith, Merril D., 1956-
Published
New York : New York University Press, 1991.
Physical Description
1 online resource (xv, 225 pages) : illustrations
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Series
Language Note
English.
Contents
Introduction: the "Open question" of marriage -- Dissolving matrimonial bonds: divorce in the new republic -- Weaving the bonds: husbands' and wives' expectations of marriage -- "If we forsook prudence": sexuality in troubled marriages -- "Cruel and barbarous treatment": the forms and meaning of spouse abuse -- Runaways: "Wilful and malicious desertion" -- For a maintenance: the economics of marital discord -- Conclusion: unraveling the bonds.
Summary
""In Breaking The Bonds, Merril Smith establishes the ambitious goal of determining 'what kind of problems arose in troubled marriages' and of analyzing 'how men and women coped with marital discord.' ... To accomplish this, Smith studied hundreds of divorce petitions, other legal documents, newspapers, almshouse dockets, and prescriptive literature. She concludes that, as in the present day, married couples fought and parted over sex, money, and abuse.""--Pennsylvania History. ""A richly textured study. . . With an eye to cross-class and cross-race representation, Smith utilizes diverse
Subject(s)
Genre(s)
ISBN
0585081166 (electronic bk.)
9780585081168 (electronic bk.)
9780814779347 (alk. paper)
0814779344 (alk. paper)
0814788955
9780814788950
0814779808
9780814779804
Note
Based on the author's thesis (doctoral--Temple University).
Bibliography Note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 213-219) and index.
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