[redgolum]

Here is another link to Google books.

http://books.google.com/books?id=hx5tyNkDQ7AC&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64&dq=illegitimacy+rate+1700&source=bl&ots=Cg0nDhg7HX&sig=7_6prKTd3mdDqhhA4gRkOp8R4yE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=q8bHU5nACsq6oQSFioHwAQ&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=illegitimacy%20rate%201700&f=false

And I guess you are right, it isn’t just about the female marriage rate. My point was that there were times with high rates of illegitimate children in Western countries before now.

[wagglebee]

I've only been following this conversation sporadically, but I'll chime in anyway.

I have studied European history, particularly the high and late medieval and early Renaissance eras, extensively.

I think the real difference is that in past centuries, regardless of whether there was an actual marriage, there was typically a normal family structure. Obviously, in those times it was much more likely that one or more of the parents would die while the child was young, this was the case regardless of marriage.

[ansel12]

Well I’m confused, I thought your claim was that poor people didn’t marry until about the last 200 years.