The Risman & Rutter chapter, “The Evolution of American Families,” by Stephanie Coontz explains how families have changed over time in the United States. The Benokraitis text and course content guide also describe many of the changes in family structure and roles since the founding of the United States. Begin your discussion by selecting and summarizing some of the characteristics of families in the US prior to the 20th century. How did the family change throughout the 20th century? How have families changed during the first two decades of the 21st century? What are the reasons that these transformations have occurred? Have the transformations changed the stability and importance of the family in the U.S. society? Support your comments by citing specific evidence from this module’s readings and videos.
