In illegal states, such as Texas, ages age of consent is australia by age differentials between the two persons and limited by a minimum age. For example, a state might set a minimum age of 14 but limit illegal to partners who are within 3 years of their age. This would allow a sixteen-year-old to lawfully have sex with a fourteen-year-old, but.

General age of marriage (without parental or court approval or other exceptions taken into account) (only shows the 50 states, no territories)

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The marriage age in the United States is the age at which a person can marry in the United States as a right, or with parental consent or other authorization. This age is set by each state and territory, either by statute or the common law applies. In general, an individual can marry upon reaching 18 years of age in all states except in Nebraska, where the general marriage age is 19, and Mississippi, where the general marriage age is 21.^[1] The general marriage age is commonly the age of majority, though in Alabama the general marriage age is 18 while the age of majority is 19.

In recent years, the trend has been to adjust the general marriage age downward and to raise the age for women to that of men. Until 1971, approximately 80% of states had a general marriage age of 18 for women, while for men the general marriage age was 21 in approximately 85% of states.^[1]

When at least one of the marriage partners is under the general marriage age, the marriage is considered underage. Six states completely ban underage marriage: Delaware, New Jersey, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and New York. The other states may require the underage partner to obtain either parental consent, judicial authorization, or both, or rely on 'exceptional circumstances”. The minimum underage marriage age, when all mitigating circumstances are taken into account, commonly range from 15 to 17, but is potentially lower in California and Massachusetts. Nine states do not allow a person over 21 to marry an underage person.

In many states (but not in Massachusetts),^[2] a minor's marriage automatically emancipates the minor, or increases their legal rights beyond allowing the minor to consent to certain medical treatments.^[3]

History[edit]

Colonial America[edit]

Marriage age[edit]

The minimum marriage age was 12 years for females and 14 years for males under English civil law until 1753. By default, these provisions became the minimum marriage ages in colonial America. ^[1] The English Marriage Act 1753 required a marriage to be covered by a license (requiring parental consent for those under 21) or the publication of banns (which parents of those under 21 could forbid). Additionally, the Church of England dictated that both the bride and groom must be at least 21 years of age to marry without the consent of their families. English common law inherited from England remained in force in the United States unless and until a specific state enacted a law to replace or modify it.

Age of consent[edit]

In 1275, in England, as part of the rape law, the Statute of Westminster 1275, it was a misdemeanor to 'ravish' a 'maiden within age', whether with or without her consent. The phrase 'within age' was interpreted by jurist Sir Edward Coke to mean the age of marriage, which at the time was 12 years.^[4] A 1576 law imposed more severe punishments for ravishing a girl for which the age of consent was set at 10 years.^[5] Jurist Sir Matthew Hale stated that both rape laws were valid at the same time.^[6] Under English common law the age of consent, apart of the law of rape, was 10 or 12 years and rape was defined as forceful sexual intercourse with a woman against her will. To convict a man of rape, both force and lack of consent had to be proven, except in the case of a girl who was under the age of consent. Since the age of consent applied in all circumstances, not just in physical assaults, the law also made it impossible for a girl under 12 years to consent to sexual activity. There was one exception: a man's acts with his wife (females over 12 years), to which rape law did not apply.^[7]

United States[edit]

Marriage age[edit]

English common law applied in each the United States jurisdiction unless and until a state statute replaced or modified it. In the United States, especially in recent years, the general marriage age has been revised downward so that they are now between 18 and 21 years of age.^[1]

There are three sets of marriage ages: 1) general marriage age, 2) the minimum marriage age set by statute and 3) minimum marriage age set by the common law. There are threes sets of laws specifying minimum age requirements for marriage: 1) the minimum age with parental and judicial or court consent, 2) the minimum age with parental consent, and 3) the minimum age without parental consent.

There is little variation over time or across states in the laws without parental consent.^[1] Prior to 1971, approximately 80% of states specified an age of 18 for marriage without parental consent for women, and approximately 85% specified an age of 21 for men.^[1]

In states without a legislated minimum, common law (which specifies a minimum of 12 years old for females and 14 years old for males) prevails; the estimated effect of a common law is similar to a legislated minimum of 13 or less^[8] (Massachusetts has the lowest legislated minimum in any of the 50 states, of 12 years old for females and 14 years old for males,^[9] but this is under the discretion of a judge and authorization must still be obtained from the Probate or District Court.^[10])

In California, the governing law is found in California Family Code sections 302 and 304 (2019): 'An unmarried person under 18 years of age may be issued a marriage license upon obtaining a court order granting permission to the underage person or persons to marry, in accordance with the requirements described in Section 304.'^[11] Historically, Section 56 of the California Civil Code (1872) fixed 15 as the age at which a female could marry without parental consent. This 1921 the age was raised to 18.^[12]

Age of consent[edit]

In Delaware, the age of consent was 10 years until 1871 when it was lowered to 7 years. Under the 1871 law, the penalty for sex with a girl below the age of consent was death.^[7]

In 1880, 37 states set the age of consent at 10 years, 10 states set an age of consent at 12 years, and Delaware had an age of consent of 7 years.^[13][14][15]

In California, early statutes forbid sexual intercourse with females under the age of 10,^[16] following the English statute of 1576. In 1889, the California statute was amended to raise the age to 14 years^[17] and the age was raised to 16 in 1897.^[18][12]

In the late-19th century, a 'social purity movement' composed of Christian feminist reform groups began advocating a raise in the age of consent to 16, with the goal of raising it ultimately to 18. By 1920, 26 states had an age of consent of 16, 21 states had an age of consent of 18, and one state (Georgia) had an age of consent of 14.^[19]

Alaska became the 49th state in 1959, with the age of consent was 16 years. Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959, with the age of consent of 14 years.

Georgia raised its age of consent from 14 to 16 in 1995 as did Hawaii in 2001. Colorado lowered its age of consent to 15 in 1971, after it lowered the age of majority from 21 to 18 years.

As of August 1, 2018, the age of consent in each state in the United States was either 16 years, 17 years, or 18 years.^[20]

Underage marriage[edit]

My Age Dating

When at least one of the marriage partners is under the general marriage age, the marriage is considered underage and may require parental consent and/or judicial authorization. Also, adolescents can marry in 'exceptional circumstances”.

In the 50 states[edit]

Delaware, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Rhode Island,^[21]New York, and New Jersey do not allow underage marriage. The other states allow an underage person to marry in the following circumstances:

If one or more of the following apply:

• consent of the parents or legal guardians of the minor
• consent of a court clerk or judge
• if the minor is emancipated.

Or in exceptional circumstances if one or more of the following circumstances apply:

• consent of a superior court judge, rather than a local judge, is required
• if one of the parties is pregnant
• if the minor has given birth to a child

In 6 states, a person who is 21 years old cannot marry a person under 18 years old - Missouri, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada. In 1 state, Florida, a person who is 20 cannot marry a person under 18 years old. In 3 states, Georgia, Tennessee and Ohio, a person who is 22 cannot marry a person under 18 years old. In Indiana, this is also mostly true, although a person who is 21 can marry a person who is 17 years old.

Minimum age in 50 states:^[22]

• 1 state has a minimum age of 12 years old for females and 14 years old for males:^[23][24]Massachusetts
• 2 states have a minimum age of 14: Alaska, and Vermont.
• 3 states have a minimum age of 15: Hawaii, Kansas, and Maryland.
• 1 state has a minimum age of 15 for females and 17 for males:^[23][24]Mississippi
• 23 states have a minimum age of 16.
• 10 states have a minimum age of 17.
• 4 states have no official minimum age, but still require either parental consent, court approval or both: California, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
• 6 states have a minimum age of 18, which is the same as their general age: Delaware, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

From 2017^[25][26] to 2019^{[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]} several states changed their law to set a minimum age, or to raise their minimum age.

In Massachusetts the general marriage age is 18, but adolescents may be married with judicial consent. Unlike many other states,^[2] in Massachusetts an adolescent's marriage does not automatically emancipate the minor, or increase his or her legal rights beyond allowing the minor to consent to certain medical treatments.^[3]

In the territories and federal district[edit]

Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, and its people are American citizens. In Puerto Rico the general marriage age is 21 as that is the age of majority. The general marriage age in Puerto Rico is 21 or 18 with parental consent.^[35] In Guam, the general age is 18, but 16-year-olds can get married with the consent of at least one parent or guardian.^[36] In American Samoa, since September 2018, the marriage age has been 18 for both sexes. Previously, the marriage age for females was 14.^[37]American Samoa does not allow underage marriages. In the District of Columbia the general age is 18, but 16-year-olds may marry with exceptions.^[35] In the U.S. Virgin Islands the marriage age is 14 for females and 16 for males.^[38] In the Northern Mariana Islands males must be 18 to marry, while females can marry at 16 with parental consent.^[39]

List[edit]

States[edit]

Name	Marriage age			Notes
	General marriage age	Minimum marriage age	Age of consent
Alabama	18	16[40]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[40][24]
Alaska	18	14[41][40]	16	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[40][24] With parental consent and judicial approval a person can marry at 14.[42]
Arizona	18	16[40]	18	A person can marry at 16, as long as one party isn't more than three years older than the minor, and 1) their parent consents, or 2) they are emancipated.[40][24]
Arkansas	18	17[40]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 17.[40][24]
California	18	None	18	The age of consent is 18. However, an emancipation of minors exception exists (14 years old and older).[43] With parental consent and judicial approval, a person can marry under the age of eighteen but the adolescent partners and the minor's parents have to meet with court officials who must rule out abuse or coercion. There is a 30-day waiting period for minors unless they are seventeen and have graduated high school or one of the partners is pregnant.[40] Age of consent for statutory rape law is 18 years old[44] but a marital exception exists for married adolescent partners and an exception exists for consensual sex between a minor and a person who is three or fewer years older or younger.[45]
Colorado	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent and a court order based on 'the best interest of the child,' and no more than a three-year age gap, a child can marry at 16.[23]
Connecticut[25]	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[23]
Delaware	18	18[23]	18	Minors cannot marry.[23]
Florida	18	17[23]	18	With parental consent and judicial approval, a person can marry at 17 as long as one party isn't more than two years older than the minor.[23]
Georgia	18	17[23]	16	Emancipated minors who are 17 can marry after completing a premarital education course but not to someone more than four years older.[23]
Hawaii[46]	18	16,[23][47] 15	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16. A person who is 15 can marry with parental consent and judicial approval.[23][47]
Idaho	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16 or 17, but only if there is no more than a three-year age gap between the two parties.[23]
Illinois[46]	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[23]
Indiana	18	16[23][48]	17	16- or 17-year-olds can marry someone no more than four years older with approval from a juvenile court judge.[23][49]
Iowa[46]	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[23]
Kansas[46]	18	16,[23] 15	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16. With judicial approval, a person can marry at 15.[23]
Kentucky	18	17[23]	18	With judicial approval, a person can marry at 17.[23]
Louisiana	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent and judicial approval, a minor who is 16 or 17 can marry a person less than three years older. A person under 16 can marry.[23]
Maine	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16. A person under 16 cannot marry.[23]
Maryland[46]	18	15[23]	16	With parental consent or proof of pregnancy/birth of a child, parties can marry at 16. A person can marry at 15 with parental consent and there's proof the female is pregnant or has given birth to a child.[23]
Massachusetts[46]	18	12 years for females and 14 years for males[23][24]	18	With parental consent and judicial approval, a person can marry under the age of 18[23] but no lower than the age of 12 for females and 14 for males which is the legislated minimum.[24] Age of consent for statutory rape law is 16 years.[44]
Michigan	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[23]
Minnesota	18[23]			Minors cannot marry.[23]
Mississippi[46]	21	15 for females and 17 for males[23][24]	16[50]	With parental consent, males can marry at 17 and females at 15.[23][24][51]
Missouri	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16. A person over 21 cannot marry someone under the age of 18.[23]
Montana[46]	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent and after at least two separate counseling sessions, a person can marry at 16.[23]
Nebraska[46]	19	17[23]	16	With parental consent, a person can marry at 17.[23]
Nevada[52]	18	17 [52][53]	16	17 is the minimum age of marriage with 4 explicit requirements of - (1) parental or guardian consent; (2) proof of Nevada residence; (3) no more than a three-year age gap between both parties; and (4) a court order within the state.[54]
New Hampshire[55]	18	16	18	With parental consent and the consent of the judge, a person can marry at 16.[40]
New Jersey	18			Minors cannot marry.[23]
New Mexico	18	16[23][46]		With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[56] A 16 or 17 year old teen can marry with the written consent of each living parent of the minor.[57] A person under 16 can marry by order of a children's or family division of district court.[23]
New York	18		17	Minors cannot marry.[58][59]
North Carolina	18	16[22]	18	North Carolina's marriage laws signed and implemented since August 2021, requires that - (1) 16 and 17 year olds to receive parental permission or a judge's approval and also (2) the age difference between the parties can not be four years or more difference.[60][61][22]
North Dakota[46]	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[23]
Ohio[62]	18	17	16	In 2019, the minimum age was set at 17, with judicial consent, in cases where the age difference is less than four years.[63]
Oklahoma[46]	18	16,[40][24] None	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16. A person under 16 may marry if authorized by the court.[40][24]
Oregon[46]	16	17[40][24]	16	With parental consent, a person can marry at 17.[40][24] Consenting parent or guardian must accompany the applicant when applying for the marriage license.
Pennsylvania[64]	18[40]			Minors cannot marry.[40]
Rhode Island	18[48]			The marriage age is 18 with no exemptions.[65][48] In June 2021, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a bill to legally ban any child marriage of any person or party under 18 years old, without any exemptions whatsoever. The Governor of Rhode Island signed the bill into law effective immediately.[66][67]
South Carolina[68]	18	16[23]		With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[23]
South Dakota[46]	18	16[23]		With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[23]
Tennessee[31]	18[23]	17	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 17; however, one party cannot be more than four years older than the minor.[23]
Texas[26]	18	16 [23]	17	Emancipated minors who are 16 or 17 years old can marry.[23]
Utah[69]	18	16	18	With parental consent and judicial approval, a person can marry at 16. [70]
Vermont[46]	18	16,[23] 14	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16.[23] With parental consent and judicial approval, a person can marry at 14.[71]
Virginia	18	16[23]	18	Minors can marry at 16 with court approval.[23]
Washington[46]	18	17[23]	16	With judicial approval, a person can marry at 17.[23]
West Virginia	18	16,[46] None	16	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16. A person under 16 can marry with parental consent and judicial approval.[23]
Wisconsin[46]	18	16[23]	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at age 16.[23]
Wyoming[46]	18	16,[46] None	18	With parental consent, a person can marry at 16. A person under the age of 16 can marry with judicial approval.[23]

District of Columbia and United States Territories[edit]

Name	Minimum age		Notes
	Minimum marriage age	General marriage age
American Samoa[72]	18	18	In September 2018, governor Lolo Moliga signed into law a bill changing the marriage age for girls from 14 to 18. The marriage age is now 18 for both sexes.[72]
District of Columbia[46]	16	18
Guam[73]	16	18	The consent of at least one parent or guardian is required for a person aged 16 or 17 to get married.
Northern Mariana Islands	16 (females) 18 (males)	18	Males at the time of marriage must be at least 18 years of age, while females aged 16–17 can marry with the consent of at least one parent or guardian.[74]
Puerto Rico[46]	18	21	Anyone from the ages of 18 to 21 can marry with the consent of both parents (if aplicable) or guardian.
U.S. Virgin Islands	18[75]	18[38]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abcdefB. Dahl, Gordon (2010). 'Early Teen Marriage and Future Poverty'. Demography. 47 (3): 689–718. doi:10.1353/dem.0.0120. PMC3000061. PMID20879684.
2. ^ ^ab'Automatic Emancipation of Minors'. FindLaw. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
3. ^ ^ab'Emancipation and the Legal Rights of Minors in Massachusetts'. www.masslegalhelp.org. MassLegalHelp. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
4. ^Stephen Robertson, University of Sydney, Australia. 'Children and Youth in History Age of Consent Laws'. Chnm.gmu.edu. Retrieved June 30, 2010.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. ^Robertson, Stephen. 'Age of Consent Laws'. Children and Youth in History. Sydney, Australia: University of Sydney. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
6. ^'Children and Youth in History Age of Consent Laws'. chnm.gmu.edu.
7. ^ ^abLindenmuth, Janet. 'The age of consent and rape reform in Delaware'. Widener Law Delaware Library. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
8. ^DAHL, GORDON B. (2010). 'Early Teen Marriage and Future Poverty'. Demography. 47 (3): 689–718. doi:10.1353/dem.0.0120. PMC3000061. PMID20879684.
9. ^'Marriage laws table_marriage'. law.cornell.edu. April 14, 2008.
10. ^'Child Brides'. blog.mass.gov. January 8, 2007.
11. ^'Validity of Marriage'.
12. ^ ^ab'Michael M. v. Superior Court'. Justia US Law.
13. ^'PURITY CONGRESS MEETS; A Great Gathering for Moral Work in the City of Baltimore. AIMS AND OBJECTS OF THE MOVEMENT Determined to Prevent State Regulation of Vice and to Rescue Fallen Men and Fallen Women'. The New York Times. BALTIMORE. October 15, 1895.
14. ^'Age of Consent Laws [Table]'. Children and Youth in History. Annotated by Stephen Robertson. Center for History and New Media and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Retrieved February 21, 2017. compiled from the following sources: Hirschfeld, Magnus. The Homosexuality of Men and Women. Translated by Michael Lombardi-Nash. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2000; Killias, Martin. 'The Emergence of a New Taboo: The Desexualization of Youth in Western Societies Since 1800.' European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research 8 (2000): 466; Odem, Mary. Delinquent Daughters: Policing and Protecting Adolescent Female Sexuality in the United States, 1885-1920. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1995; 'Worldwide Ages of Consent,' AVERTing HIV and Aids, www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm (accessed November 29, 2007).CS1 maint: others (link)
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16. ^25 Cal. 3d 618.
17. ^Stats. 1889, ch. 191, § 1, p. 223.
18. ^Stats. 1897, ch. 139, § 1, p. 201.
19. ^'The Campaign to Raise the Age of Consent 1885–1914'. Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600–2000. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
20. ^'Age of Consent across the United States'. AgeOfConsent.net. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
21. ^'Governor McKee signs legislation banning child marriages in RI into law'.
22. ^ ^abc'Marriage Age by State 2020'. worldpopulationreview.com.
23. ^ ^{abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadaeafagahaiajakalamanaoapaqarasatauavawaxayazbabbbcbdbebfbgbhbibjbkblbmbnbobpbq}'State-by-State Marriage 'Age of Consent' Laws'. Findlaw.
24. ^ ^{abcdefghijklmn}'Marriage laws table_marriage'. cornell.edu. April 14, 2008.
25. ^ ^ab'Connecticut General Assembly'. Connecticut General Assembly.
26. ^ ^ab'Texas Legislature Online - 85(R) History for SB 1705'. www.legis.state.tx.us.
27. ^'New Florida Laws: Marriage Age, Opioids, Criminal Records'. USNews. June 30, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
28. ^'18RS - Legislative Record Online'. www.lrc.ky.gov. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
29. ^'Arizona HB2006 - 2018 - Fifty-third Legislature 2nd Regular'.
30. ^Legislature, Delaware. 'Bill Detail - Delaware General Assembly'. legis.delaware.gov.
31. ^ ^ab'Tennessee HB2134 - 2017-2018 - 110th General Assembly'.
32. ^Malo, Sebastien (June 22, 2018). 'New Jersey law gives momentum to U.S. efforts to ban child marriage'. Reuters.
33. ^'Missouri SB655 - 2018 - Regular Session'.
34. ^https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/ohio-raise-marriage-age-after-dayton-daily-news-investigation/8WZqMZmdjJq5dNCSEWEPZM/
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38. ^ ^ab'Virgin Islands Code 16 V.I.C. ch. 1 § 2'. Virgin Islands Code. LexisNexis. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
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43. ^Heinig, Melissa. 'Emancipation of Minors'. www.nolo.com.
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45. ^'Consent Laws California'. RAINN. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. March 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
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51. ^'Title 93 - DOMESTIC RELATIONS, Chapter 1 - MARRIAGE § 93-1-5 - Conditions precedent to issuance of license; penalty for noncompliance'. 2013 Mississippi Code. Retrieved June 3, 2017. Every male who is at least seventeen (17) years old and every female who is at least fifteen (15) years old shall be capable in law of contracting marriage.
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53. ^'Nevada sees many new laws, but how will they affect you?'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. June 8, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
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57. ^'New Mexico Marriage Age Requirements Laws'.
58. ^'New law raises age of consent for marriage to 18 in New York'. nystateofpolitics.com. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
59. ^'New York state raises age of legal consent to 18, banning child marriage'.
60. ^'NC Minimum Marriage Age Now 16 with Bill Signing'. August 26, 2021.
61. ^'NC bill that raises minimum age to marry from 14 to 16 awaits signature by Gov. Cooper'. August 17, 2021.
62. ^'House Bill 511 The Ohio Legislature'. www.legislature.ohio.gov. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
63. ^Laura A. Bischoff, Columbus Bureau. 'Ohio to raise marriage age after Dayton Daily News investigation'. springfieldnewssun. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
64. ^'House Bill 360; Regular Session 2019-2020'. Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
65. ^'Governor McKee signs legislation banning child marriages in RI into law'.
66. ^'General Assembly passes Rep. Casimiro and Sen. Burke's legislation that bans child marriages in Rhode Island'.
67. ^'Lawmakers Approve Bill to Ban Child Marriage in Rhode Island'. June 2, 2021.
68. ^Sausser, Lauren. 'SC now prohibits teens under 16 from marrying, but some lawmakers want even stricter rules'. Post and Courier.
69. ^Romboy, Dennis (March 26, 2019). 'Utah Governor signs bills allowing stronger beer in Utah stores, raising legal marriage age'. DeseretNews.com. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
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71. ^'Vermont Marriage Age Requirements Laws'.
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75. ^'Legislature of the Virgin Islands'. www.legvi.org. Retrieved July 24, 2021.

Average Age Of Dating In Usa In America

Between 1800 and 1900, women generally married for the first time between the ages of 20 and 22. Less is known about the average age of first marriages for men during the 19th century. In 1890, when the U.S. Census Bureau started collecting marriage data, it was recorded that the average age of a first marriage for men was 26 years, and the average age of marriage for women was 22 years.

Marriage in the Colonies

The average age of a women who married for the first time rose steadily, although not sharply, from 1800 to 1900. North American colonists tended to get married early due to several factors. The first, and perhaps most important, was simply that they could. Many took the advice of the Bible -- to leave home and create your own family -- to heart, and they had the resources to do it. Land was inexpensive, and there was plenty of it to choose from -- it was simple to set up shop. According to a 2010 article in the 'Journal of Southern History' titled 'The Effect of the Civil War on Southern Marriage Patterns,' early colonists married at an average age of around 20 if they were women, and around 26 if they were men.

The Civil War

With the end of the Civil War in 1865 came a 'marriage squeeze' for women, especially in the South. About 620,000 men died in the war, which meant that pickings were slim. Many women married older widowers, or married someone not entirely appropriate -- perhaps above or below their socioeconomic status. This pattern did not last very long, however -- about 10 years -- and it did not significantly affect their average age of marriage, which hovered right around 21. For men, it did not significantly change either as many young men rushed to marriage at the start of the war.

After the War

A second rush to marry occurred after the war, but again, the women marrying for the first time were young -- around 21 years of age -- and the men remained right around the age of 26. The age of the women rose slightly because there were more options becoming available to them. A woman no longer had to fully depend on a man to support her -- she could choose to take a wage-paying job. Still, this option was not all that attractive to most women -- marriage and child-rearing were still much preferred.

Age of Consent

During the 19th century, the age of consent in the United States varied between 10 and 16, depending on the state and year. The age of consent was the age when it was determined that a boy or girl -- but most often, a girl -- was capable of consenting to any sexual activity. This does not mean minors often married, however. Although minors could, and still can, marry with parental consent in America, most did not marry so young.

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