Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Lust
The turn from punishing sexual activity outside of marriage toward the idea of personal sexual freedom began in the West between 1600 and 1800.
Does Adultery Justify Murder?
There’s a popular (mis)perception that, prior to the rise of modern legal systems, a husband was considered justified in killing a straying wife.
Why Some Spartan Women Had Two Husbands
In ancient Sparta, it was accepted practice for more women to marry and have children by more than one man.
Family and Revolution in the Borderlands
Paula Carmona, the founding mother of the magonista movement, was all but erased from Mexico’s revolutionary history.
The Marriage Myths of Jadwiga of Poland
Crowned rex Poloniae, King of Poland, as a ten-year-old, Jadwiga soon had a decision to make: should she marry for love, or should she marry for politics?
When Statutory Rape Laws Led to Forced Marriages
In early 20th-century New York, men accused of "ruining" women under eighteen could avoid prosecution by marrying them.
Polygamy, Native Societies, and Spanish Colonists
Having more than one wife was an established part of life for some Native peoples before Europeans tried to end the practice.
The Decline of the Vegas Wedding
The Little White Wedding Chapel's changing fortunes are emblematic of the state of matrimony and romance.
The “Miscegenation” Troll
The term “miscegenation” was coined in an 1864 pamphlet by an anonymous author.
How Love Transformed American Immigration Law
Love was a deciding factor in the expansion of Asian immigration to the United States, via laws that emerged from Congress in the 1960s.