Nuclear family

A nuclear family is a type of family unit. It is made up of a husband, a wife, and their children. Not everyone agrees on what a nuclear family is. Some people say that a nuclear family does not include stepchildren or adopted children while some claim otherwise.  A nuclear family is a part of an extended family.

History
The term nuclear family was first used in 1947.Merriam-Webster Online. "Definition of nuclear family". However, people have lived in nuclear families for thousands of years. In 2005, archaeologists discovered four 4,600-year-old graves in Germany. Several adults and children who were related were buried in these graves. Researchers think that this proves that people lived in nuclear families a long time ago.

During and before the medieval period in Europe, large family groups, such as clans, were most common.Grief, Avner (2005). "Family Structure, Institutions, and Growth: The Origin and Implications of Western Corporatism" . By the late medieval period, the nuclear family had become most common.

References

Category:Anthropology
Category:Sociology
Category:Social groups
Category:Family