Over the last 10 decades, the culture in America has experienced a major shift in values and morals. The family has gone from a state of economic destitution during the Great Depression to a state of wealth and prosperity during the classic 50s. Major changes occurred in the family from Pre-World War II (WWII) to Post WWII. Women, including many mothers, started to work outside the home and many children were more inclined to move away from home sooner. A strong family is what America was built on and is the foundation of a stable society; therefore it needs to be secure and protected. Unfortunately it has become weaker, not stronger…why is that one might ask? Simply put, common morals that have kept the family strong are deteriorating, the family as a system has been deeply affected by this shift in morals and values in today’s world. Higher divorce rates, increased drug and alcohol abuse and parents working outside the home have affected the lives of children in negative ways, including increased poverty, abuse and diminished educational and job proficiency.
During the post WWII era, the average American family consisted of a homemaker (the wife), a working father and two or more children. There were shared values throughout America reinforcing the importance of family and traditional marriage. The vision of this type of family life stayed intact even as its economic underpinnings were eroding. In order for the 1950s-style family to exist, the economy had to be strong enough for a man to support his family on his income alone. Before the 1960’s Women’s Rights Movement, men were provided with the best jobs while women were often discriminated against in the work place, especially...
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Coontz, Stephanie. “The American Family.” StephanieCoontz. N.p., Nov. 1999. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
“Family Structure.” Family Research Council. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014
Herndon, Peter N. "Family Life in America: Past, Present and Future." Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
Hoffman, Lois Waldis, PhD. “The Effects of the Mother’s Employment on the Family and the Child.” Parenthood. N.p., 15 Oct. 1998. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
“Social Issues.” Abortion. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
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