Marriageways: Spain vs. Spanish America
Unions blessed by church and state vs. informal ones
- community to religious marriage (Council of Trent, 1545-63)
- barrangana (formal contract, Spain) vs. amancebados (casual word, colonies)
“natural” children: race and patrimonialism
- illegitimacy
- the double standard
The nuptial fair--gender and calidad
- courtship: hurried, almost furtive
- seduction: promise of marriage sealed with sex
- parental consent vs. free will of children (upheld by church)
- widows: ardent desire, poor prospects