Piece Description

@font-face { font-family: "?? ??"; }@font-face { font-family: "?? ??"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }.MsoChpDefault { font-family: Cambria; }div.WordSection1 { page: WordSection1; }

Considering the stereotypes about Puritan New England, you might be surprised to learn that young lovers in the 18th century were not only allowed to sleep in the same bed before marriage – they were encouraged to! As long, that is, as they did it within the confines of the parents’ home. It was known as “bundling,” and although sex was theoretically not involved, the practice coincided with a huge increase in premarital pregnancy. By the end of the century, one-third of all brides were pregnant by the time they reached the altar.

In this special Valentine’s Day edition* of BackStory, the History Guys trace the history of courtship conventions from the colonial era to the present. Along the way, they explore the social, economic, and technological forces that shape courtship, and examine the changing relationship between courtship and marriage. Did economic considerations used to play a greater role in coupling? How has popular culture structured the way lovers spend time together? Has the idea of “romance” itself morphed over time?

* While we encourage Valentine’s Day-pegged broadcasts, the episode contains no explicit mentions of the holiday, and can be aired at any time of the year.

Highlights Include:

• Historian Beth Bailey (From Front Porch to Back Seat: Courtship in 20th Century America) discusses the origins of American “dating” and how it has evolved.

• Historian and blogger Pam Epstein (advertisingforlove.com) shares a few of her favorite 19th century personal ads, and reflects on what they tell us about life in the 19th century.

• BackStory listeners phone in with their questions about the history of courtship in America.