Colonial Courtship
Courtship in the colonies was a strictly supervised tradition based only upon proper appearances and what the colonists knew from their (or their relatives') previous lives in England. Although not highly regarded because of the tremendous lustful temptations involved, many colonists viewed it as a necessary evil that would produce marriages that would eventually bring the ever-desired "healthy family" situations (i.e. many children) that supposedly gave character to the colonies, especially in the south.
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