Why Men Married Their Cousins in the Old South

Antebellum Etc.
Antebellum Etc.
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Published 2024-06-15
Cousin marriage, especially between first cousins, is extremely rare in the U.S. today, but in the colonial and antebellum periods it was much more common, particularly among elite merchant families in New England and more broadly in the South. This video uses a passage from Bertram Wyatt-Brown's "Southern Honor: Ethics and Behavior in the Old South" to explain why. Additionally, we cite anthropologist and cultural evolution scholar Joseph Henrich's discussion in his book "The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous" of cousin marriage as a key factor in kinship intensity and consider implications for the growing cultural differences between the two sections in the antebellum period. #antebellum #history #colonialamerica #civilwar #south #antropology #culture #culturalevolution #weird #cousinmarriage
All Comments (6)
  • @peterschief9778
    Fantastic research and pictures as usual mate. Thanx from Australia
  • @michaelcase8574
    My ex wife's sister married their cousin. There are almost no genetic consequences at thet level. My Grandmother and her sister married brothers. A great video and very informative. Another great video
  • @OrthodoxofUSA
    Would you be willing to do a video about William Brownlow of Tennessee?