Nuclear family
A nuclear family is a type of family unit. It is made up of a husband, a wife, and their children. Not everyone agrees on what a nuclear family is. Some people say that a nuclear family does not include stepchildren or adopted children.[1] Others say that a nuclear family may include stepchildren or adopted children.[2] A nuclear family is a part of an extended family.
History[change | change source]
The term nuclear family was first used in 1947.[3] However, people have lived in nuclear families for thousands of years. In 2005, archaeologists discovered four 4,600-year-old graves in Germany. Several adults and children who were related were buried in these graves.[4] Researchers think that this proves that people lived in nuclear families a long time ago.
During and before the medieval period in Europe, large family groups, such as clans, were most common.[5] By the late medieval period, the nuclear family had become most common.[5]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Jackson, Kristy. "Traditional Nuclear Family vs. Blended Family" (web). California State University, Sacramento. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
- ↑ Haviland, William A.; Prins, Harald E. L.; Walrath, Dana (2007). Cultural anthropology: the human challenge (12 ed.). Cengage Learning. p. 219. ISBN 978-0-495-09561-3.
- ↑ Merriam-Webster Online. "Definition of nuclear family".
- ↑ Haak, Wolfgang; Brandt, Herman; de Jong, Hylke N.; Meyer, C; Ganslmeier, R; Heyd, V; Hawkesworth, C; Pike, AW; Meller, H (2008). "Ancient DNA, Strontium isotopes, and osteological analyses shed light on social and kinship organization of the Later Stone Age". PNAS. 105 (47): 18226–18231. Bibcode:2008PNAS..10518226H. doi:10.1073/pnas.0807592105. PMC 2587582. PMID 19015520.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Grief, Avner (2005). "Family Structure, Institutions, and Growth: The Origin and Implications of Western Corporatism" Archived 2015-09-29 at the Wayback Machine.
