Parenting Children Dbq

987 Words2 Pages

Thesis : Throughout the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, English upper class families were focused upon shaping their children into fine adults often through the use of education, but as time past their methods of molding their children was shifted from the use of violence to the use of compassion.

The importance of raising a child correctly is expressed from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. In document 11 it is says that parents will “rejoice and become parents of wise and worthy children.” This document was written in 1581 and shows that this was the goal of raising a child so that they may become wise and worthy. More evidence to support that the goal of sixteenth century parenting was to shape their children into fine adults …show more content…

A Calvinist minister describes them as this, but and Anglican minister from about the same time describes children as knowing no evil. This shows how different religions caused by the Protestant Reformation gave people to have very contrast views on the affects of original sin on children. It is the role of the parent to have their children educated so that they may become good. Without the guiding hand of a parent the inherent evil of man will “rage over and burn down the whole house” (Document 1). This parenting trend is continued into the eighteenth century where they believed that a child’s mind “may be moulded into any form” (Document 14). Sir Philip Francis also says in Document 14 that his “object in view is to make [his] son an English gentleman.” This reinforces the idea that parents, throughout the sixteenth and eighteenth century, were focused upon forming and making their children into who they wanted them to be whether it be English Gentlemen, a heir to the throne, or wise. Parents throughout these periods stressed the importance of education of their children. In Document 14 Sir Philip Francis is writing to his son’s tutor. The fact that he would hire a tutor shows that he cares about his son’s …show more content…

This transition was especially evident in schools as prior to the 1970’s it was commonplace to be punished with a spanking or a paddle in school to correct behavior. In the last thirty to forty years this type of punishment has ended and schools are using different forms of

Open Document