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Child Brides and Patriarchy in Ancient Mexico
Child marriage among the Aztecs (Spanish version published in Historia Mexicana, no. 181, 1996)
PPT Slide
Source: The Book of Tributes by S.L. Cline (INAH, v. 549)
Museo de Antropología, Mexico City: “Here is the house of someone named...”
Debate #1: Age at marriage
Marriageways of the nahuas
Marriageways of the nahuas. conyugal unions
Evidence of precocious marriage among the Nahuas:
Proofs in the text itself (continued):
The problem of sex: 6 most common names for each
Demography, sex ratios:
Demography, percents and averages:
Other evidence of precocious marriage among the Nahua
The Codex Mendoza: life at age 13 and 14 years
Marriage (at 15)
Other texts pointing to precocious marriage
Conclusions
Average age of union in 1540 compared with 1826: (note great increase)
“Debate” #2: meaning of the “child”/couple ratio?
“Child”/Couple index in 1540 compared with 1930
Test: Apply 1540 marriage rates to 1930
The answer: half as many children/others (and almost twice as many couples)
Applying 1540s precocious marriage pattern to 1930 shows that 4/5 of difference is due to marriage
Conclusions, the Amerindian mode of reproduction
Debate #3: the nuclear family in the past
Nuclear versus complex (extended) family
Eurocentric theory (Laslett and Wall) versus Amerindian reality (Nahuas)
Cemithualtin (those around a patio): the importance of kin
Household H-38 9 people, 3 generations
Rules of household formation (inferred). The head is:
Household Composition
5 complete conjugal families 4 generations, 3 married brothers
Seven of the most frequent kin ties
4 lateral extensions, 2 complete conjugal families 2 incomplete (widows+children)
Conclusions, households:
Conclusions, social flexibility:
The future of marriage in Mexico?
Email: rmccaa@maroon.tc.umn.edu
Home Page: hist.umn.edu/~rmccaa
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