The concept of a family dates back to the emergence of humans as species, and it has been changing ever since. At the earliest stage of the humankind’s development, the purpose of a family was linked to the concepts of survival and collaboration. Remarkably, recent DNA tests confirm that a nuclear family dates back to the prehistoric era. However, due to the complexities of surviving in the wilderness, prehistoric families were built based primarily on the notion of cooperation and the creation of survival opportunities. As a result, individual needs were often overlooked.
Origins of the American Family
In turn, the concept of the American family varied significantly, mostly due to the differences in the traditions and culture of different Native American tribes. Nevertheless, the general consensus regarding the family structure within Native American communities is that they were arranged based on a rigid social hierarchy that promoted active support and regard for the elderly. In contrast to the specified perceptions, the ones of colonists represented a strong patriarchal tenet that promoted unwavering authority of the husband and the inferior status of the wife. Furthermore, the propensity toward introducing children to work at the earliest age possible was a prominent trend in colonial American families. Finally, the enslaved families of African people brought to America were characterized by continuous tragedy of family members being torn from one another and sold to colonial slaveholders.
The Modern Family
The importance of gender roles as the foundation for the relationships between family members and the functioning of the family were only reinforced with the emergence of the concept of a modern family. Unlike its name suggested, the specified construct did not feature innovative ideas of challenging the set stereotypes and introducing the principles of equality and equity into the relationships between a husband and a wife. Instead the modern family represented a rigid structure with established traditions, courtship being one of the most common ones. However, positive dynamics in the relationships between family members could be observed. Furthermore, the number of children per family reduced substantially, which could be seen as one of the contributing factors shaping the change in the nature of interactions within the family.
New Family Diversity
Finally, the new family diversity embodies the shift from the values and traditions of the previous era to the active promotion of equality between men and women., specifically, in relation to women’s rights and freedoms. Additionally, the rights of same-sex-attracted people have been actively promoted, which has led to the emergence of legal standards approving same-sex marriage. The outlined change should be seen as an undeniable triumph of fighting for equal rights and the promotion of tolerance and diversity. Another remarkable part of the new family diversity phenomenon concerns the shift in gender roles within families. Namely, women have accepted a more proactive role, choosing to become breadwinners, whereas the roles typically associated with managing the household have become gradually accepted by men. Though the process of change is still taking place, and complete equality has not been achieved yet, gender stereotypes persisting within the present-day global community, opportunities for the creation of a new family where partners are equally independent and supportive of each other have been built. Overall, the study of the development of family dynamics across centuries has shown that a family remains a crucial phenomenon that is strongly required for the robust development of healthy society.