During the End of the Nineteenth Century, which description applies to family structure?

• A. High proportion of married couples and low proportion of individuals living on their own.
• B. Predominantly nonfamily households.
• C. High divorce rates.
• D. Low rate of marriage.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how family life was organized around marriage in the late 1800s. During this period, marriage was the expected path for adult life, and households were typically formed by a married couple, often with children, sometimes alongside other relatives. Economic and social structures supported co-residence and family-based living, so living alone or as a single person was relatively uncommon. Divorce rates were not high, and the social norms around permanence of marriage kept most families in two-spouse households rather than single-person living arrangements. All of this points to a pattern with a high proportion of married couples and a low proportion of individuals living on their own.