How Old Are You?
eBook - PDF

How Old Are You?

Age Consciousness in American Culture

  1. English
  2. PDF
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

How Old Are You?

Age Consciousness in American Culture

About this book

Most Americans take it for granted that a thirteen-year-old in the fifth grade is "behind schedule," that "teenagers who marry "too early" are in for trouble, and that a seventy-five-year-old will be pleased at being told, "You look young for your age." Did an awareness of age always dominate American life? Howard Chudacoff reveals that our intense age consciousness has developed only gradually since the late nineteenth century. In so doing, he explores a wide range of topics, including demographic change, the development of pediatrics and psychological testing, and popular music from the early 1800s until now. "Throughout our lifetimes American society has been age-conscious. But this has not always been the case. Until the mid-nineteenth century, Americans showed little concern with age. The one-room schoolhouse was filled with students of varied ages, and children worked alongside adults.... [This is] a lively picture of the development of age consciousness in urban middle-class culture." --Robert H. Binstock, The New York Times Book Review "A fresh perspective on a century of social and cultural development."--Michael R. Dahlin, American Historical Review

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Yes, you can access How Old Are You? by Howard P. Chudacoff in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & North American History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Half-title Page
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Dedication Page
  6. Contents
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. Introduction
  9. Chapter 1. Blurred Age Distinctions: American Society Before 1850
  10. Chapter 2. Origins of Age Grading: Education and Medicine
  11. Chapter 3. Age Norms and Scheduling: The 1890s
  12. Chapter 4. intensification of Age Norms: 1900-1920
  13. Chapter 5. Emergence of A Peer Society
  14. Chapter 6. Act Your Age: The Culture of Age, 1900-1935
  15. Chapter 7. Age Consciousness in American Popular Music
  16. Chapter 8. Continuities and Changes in The Recent Past
  17. Conclusion
  18. Notes
  19. Index