Historically, women got married around Age 16-25, and men around Age 26-35. This was true in the days of Ancient Greece, and also, most of Christian European history.
There were times when men got married younger. These were generally times when a man under Age 25 could support a wife and family. In US history, where there was plenty of unused land, a young man could set up a small farm beginning around Age 18, and maybe get married around Age 22. Or, in the 1950s, a man could get a good union job at Age 18.
Another possibility was the “patriarchal estate,” where a farm or other business was basically a multi-generational project. A farm or business would have three generations living under the same roof and working at the same farm or business. Then, a young man would live at the family house, and bring in a new wife.
More recently, the trend for men and women to be about the same age at marriage, or maybe about two years older for the man, arises largely from the public school system. In the past, before 1940, most Americans went to work (typically an apprenticeship) after eighth grade. High school, and then commonly college, was a post-1950 phenomenon. Mandatory public high school was largely a consequence of the elimination of child labor in 1939. Now women are “in school” from Ages 16-21, most of their 16-25 window, exclusively with men around the same age, and away from older men.
Before then, a young woman lived at her parents’ house. She was “debuted into society” (declared available for marriage) around Age 16. This was accompanied by dances and other get-to-know-you events, with eligible men of all ages.
This woman talks about taking XX years to get financially established enough to have children. By then, she is too old to actually have the children. It was the man’s job to get financially established, and then he could marry at Age 30. His wife could just show up with her womb, and a few basic homemaking skills.
Feminism fails again. You had it so easy girls!
Recently, Estee Williams has been kicking sand in the face of career girls. Har!
She will have a lot more to do with three children.
Cornerstone 