Colonial Courtship

In the colonial times, many regions in the United States had different practices when it came to courtship. Some areas considered marriage a sacred union, whereas others looked at it as a civil contract. In some communities, marriage between a couple was based on the linking of properties rather than love. Although there were many differences between each area, there seemed to be one universal concept of community involvement when it came to courtships, something that is not prevalent in our age.

The Frontier people, who lived in the more western regions where it was less civilized, based their marriages on an old ritual of "abducting the bride". The groom and his friends would come in and "steal" the bride, often with her consent. Their weddings were fun and crazy events. Puritans saw marriage as a civil contract. Adults strictly watched over the courtships. Before a couple was allowed to marry, Puritan leaders had to approve of the union. If it was passed, a very simple and quiet ceremony would proceed. Puritans were the only group that allowed divorce. In Virginia marriage was considered a sacred union, with a large emphasis on the joining of properties and money. Families were heavily involved. Quakers needed the consent of the entire community in order to get married, and were required to go through a 16-step courtship phase. Lastly, in the south, African slaves married in a "jumping the broom" ceremony, in which the community participated and attended.

-- Kelsey